REYKJAVÍK, ICELAND—The political storm engulfing the Eurovision Song Contest deepened dramatically on Wednesday as Iceland’s national broadcaster, RÚV, announced its decision to boycott the 2026 event in Vienna. Iceland becomes the fifth European nation to withdraw from the pan-continental music competition in protest against the continued participation of Israel amidst the conflict in Gaza.
The withdrawal places immense pressure on the contest’s organizer, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which recently reaffirmed its decision to allow Israel’s state broadcaster, KAN, to compete, despite mounting calls from several member nations for its exclusion.
The Call for Peace Over Pop
RÚV’s announcement follows a tense board meeting and a fierce public debate in the North Atlantic nation, which is known for its high per capita viewing audience of the annual contest.
- The RÚV Statement: “Given the public debate in this country and the reactions to the decision of the EBU that was taken last week, it is clear that neither joy nor peace will prevail regarding the participation of RÚV in Eurovision,” the broadcaster said. “The Song Contest and Eurovision have always had the aim of uniting the Icelandic nation, but it is now clear that this aim cannot be achieved.”
- A Unified Front: Iceland joins the public broadcasters of Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands in declining to send an entry or broadcast the event, citing the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and Israel’s military actions. Spain, a “Big Five” nation contributing significant funding to the contest, is seen as a particularly heavy blow to the EBU’s finances and prestige.
- The Core Issue: The boycotting countries argue that the EBU has applied a blatant “double standard,” pointing out that Russia was immediately expelled from the contest following its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. The EBU has defended its decision, arguing that the contest is a non-political event between public service broadcasters, not governments.
A Contest in Crisis
The EBU’s General Assembly last week convened to address the growing controversy. While members did vote to adopt tougher rules on voting to address allegations that Israel manipulated the public vote in the 2025 contest, the EBU took no action to exclude the Israeli broadcaster. This decision failed to satisfy the now five boycotting nations.
- The Political Stance: Several boycotting countries have been clear that their withdrawal is a matter of conscience. Ireland’s broadcaster, RTÉ, stated participation was “unconscionable given the appalling loss of lives in Gaza,” while Slovenia’s RTV SLO cited a stand “on behalf of the 20,000 children who died in Gaza.”
- A Divided Europe: The deep political split in Europe is now visible on the cultural stage. Germany and Austria, the host nation for 2026, have publicly defended Israel’s participation, insisting that the contest must remain a space for music, not political disputes.
The collective walkout by five prominent Eurovision nations casts a heavy shadow over the competition, which is preparing to celebrate its 70th anniversary in Vienna next May. The ongoing withdrawals signal an existential crisis for the contest, testing its long-held but often fragile claim to be an apolitical platform for cultural unity.