Highlights:
- Avrotros will not participate in Eurovision 2027.
- The broadcaster says the contest has lost its neutral character.
- Gaza and concerns over press freedom have deepened divisions.
- The Netherlands also stayed away from Eurovision 2026.
- Another Dutch broadcaster could still enter the 2027 contest.
What was once meant to be one of Europe’s happiest shared celebrations has taken another painful turn.
Dutch public broadcaster Avrotros has announced that it will pull out of the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, saying the competition can no longer be considered neutral while a participating country remains involved in a large-scale military conflict.
The decision comes after organisers, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), introduced new rules aimed at addressing concerns over countries involved in armed conflicts. But for Avrotros, the changes have failed to repair the damage.
In a statement released on Monday, the broadcaster said there was still insufficient clarity over how the EBU decides which countries should be allowed to participate.
Avrotros also pointed to the humanitarian suffering in Gaza and growing concerns about restrictions on press freedom.
"The severe humanitarian suffering in Gaza and the ongoing restrictions on press freedom have contributed to increasing divisions surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest in recent years."
The broadcaster said the EBU's latest rule changes "do not provide sufficient confidence that the independent and neutral character of the Eurovision Song Contest has been restored".
It is a particularly sad moment for the Netherlands, one of Eurovision's most successful countries. Only Ireland and Sweden have won the competition more times.
Yet instead of preparing to return to the stage, the Dutch broadcaster is once again stepping away.
Avrotros also withdrew from Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, with the Netherlands boycotting the event after Israel was allowed to compete.
Now, the future of Dutch participation in 2027 is uncertain. Avrotros's decision does not automatically mean the Netherlands will disappear from the contest, as another public broadcaster could potentially take responsibility for the country's entry.
Martin Green, the contest's director, said the EBU regretted Avrotros's decision while respecting its position.
"We will now continue our dialogue with NPO, the umbrella organisation for Dutch public service media, regarding the opportunities for another broadcaster to participate. We very much hope that audiences and artists in the Netherlands can continue to be represented in the Eurovision Song Contest."
For Avrotros director general Taco Zimmerman, however, the damage appears deeper.
"Eurovision was originally created to bring people and countries together" but was now "a platform for division".
He added: "It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest, undermining its neutral character.
"The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division. As a public broadcaster, we remain committed to our values."
The EBU continues to defend Eurovision as a force for unity, with Green saying the contest "has always been a place to bring people together, celebrate diverse communities, and show that a better world is possible even in the most difficult times".
But the growing disputes suggest that something has gone badly wrong.
New rules mean a country involved in an armed conflict cannot host the following contest if it wins. A winner can also be prevented from hosting if a "sensitive geopolitical situation" threatens the security, safety or stability of its state or surrounding region.
The changes followed growing pressure from broadcasters after Eurovision 2026. Five broadcasters, including Spain, Ireland and the Netherlands, had announced boycotts after a failed attempt to suspend Israel.
Despite the protests, Israel's Noam Bettan finished second with Michelle, marking the country's second consecutive runners-up finish.
The prospect of Eurovision being hosted in Jerusalem or Tel Aviv has also raised safety concerns among some broadcasters.
The rules will affect Ukraine too, which has been fighting Russia since its 2022 invasion. Ukraine won Eurovision that year when Kalush Orchestra's victory became a powerful symbol of international support.
For now, Eurovision remains determined to present itself as a place of unity.
But Avrotros's withdrawal is another reminder of how difficult that promise has become to keep.
What was supposed to bring countries together now risks becoming another place where the divisions between them are impossible to ignore.
