Netherlands Withdraws from Eurovision Song Contest
Decision follows previous commitment to 2027 participation; Czech broadcaster also pulls out citing spending cuts.
Sarah Connor
The Netherlands announced its withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest today.
Jet de Ranitz confirmed the withdrawal. "Due to the sensitivities surrounding the themes currently at play, we have decided to take a step back for the time being," de Ranitz stated.
Due to the sensitivities surrounding the themes currently at play, we have decided to take a step back for the time being.
The 71st Eurovision Song Contest will take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, following Dara's victory. The 2025 contest was held in Basel, Switzerland.
The 2026 Eurovision final drew 130 million viewers worldwide. The Czech public broadcaster pulled out of Eurovision 2027, citing spending cuts.
Meanwhile, the search for the United Kingdom's artist and song for the next Eurovision Song Contest has begun.
Israel has competed in Eurovision since 1973. Hamas launched attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, and Israel's campaign in Gaza has resulted in over 70,000 deaths.