Ireland has announced its decision to refrain from participating in the Eurovision Song Contest for the second consecutive year due to Israel’s involvement, as confirmed by the country’s national broadcaster on Thursday. RTE stated that it will not be sending a representative to the 2027 event in Bulgaria and will not air the competition, citing concerns over the “tragic and continuous loss of lives in Gaza.”

This action by Ireland aligns it with four other nations, namely the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain, which also opted out of the Eurovision contest this year in protest against Israel’s presence in the pan-European music event. In a similar move, the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS declared a boycott for the following year, criticizing Eurovision as a platform that fosters division.

AVROTROS emphasized that it will abstain from participating in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest due to the perceived lack of neutrality, particularly with a participating country embroiled in a significant military conflict. The upcoming competition is scheduled to be held in May in the Bulgarian Black Sea resort town of Burgas.