US Edition
Spain votes to boycott Eurovision if Israel competes
RTVE approved Spain's boycott proposal with a 10-4 majority, joining other countries demanding Israel's exclusion from Eurovision 2026 over political concerns.
- Spain's public broadcaster RTVE voted on Tuesday to boycott Eurovision if Israel participates in the next contest.
- This decision follows calls by Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and threats by Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland to exclude Israel over its Gaza military campaign.
- The RTVE board met in Madrid and approved the boycott with 10 votes in favor, 4 against, and 1 abstention amid diplomatic tensions and protests over Israeli actions.
- RTVE acknowledged the strong emotions and perspectives related to the current situation in the Middle East, while the European Broadcasting Union is engaging with its members to determine how best to address participation and political sensitivities surrounding the contest.
- Spain, the first of the Big Five financial backers to take this step, joins other countries challenging Israel's participation, potentially complicating the Eurovision Song Contest scheduled for May in Vienna.
174 Articles
174 Articles
The threats of boycott rain on the 2026 edition of the song contest in case of participation of Israel. Which countries have already announced their absence?
Spain confirms boycott of Eurovision 2026 if Israel takes part
Spanish broadcaster RTVE has said it will boycott the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 if Israel is allowed to to take part. The news was announced on Tuesday (16 September), following a vote called by the broadcaster’s president, José Pablo López. Ten members of the 15 RTVE board voted in favour of a boycott, one abstained. RTVE became the fifth broadcaster threatening to pull out of the contest, which is set to be hosted in the Austrian capital, V…
The Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) is becoming increasingly political. Due to the Gaza war, several public service broadcasters in European states are threatening to boycott the ESC 2026 should Israel participate in the competition.
Spanish public broadcaster RTVE is the fifth country to threaten to pull out of Eurovision 2026 if Israel takes part. In addition to Slovenia, the Netherlands, Ireland and Iceland have also announced the same. With its announcement, it became the first of the so-called 'big five' countries, which also include Great Britain, Germany, Italy and France.
Spain, one of the 'five major' countries participating in the Eurovision music competition, decided to mark the event if Israel will not be excluded from the 2026 edition of Vienna due to the Gaza War, writes The Guardian. The country now joins three other countries that have announced that they will not participate for the same reason: Slovenia, Ireland and the cities of Jos (The Netherlands).
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