Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, alongside its parent company NPO, has called for a discussion with Eurovision organisers at the EBU about whether the contest’s core principles are still working.
In a joint statement on Instagram, they raise concerns about Eurovision’s current standpoint amidst Israel’s ongoing participation:
“AVROTROS and the NPO strongly believe in the apolitical and unifying value of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, we see that the event is increasingly influenced by social and geopolitical tensions.
“Israel’s participation confronts us with the question to what extent the Song Contest still functions as an apolitical, unifying and cultural event. We want to make this question a topic of discussion within the EBU, together with other countries.”
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A spokesperson for AVROTORS went on to say that the contest must return to its roots:
“A unifying, cultural event that rises above political tensions. The current situation raises questions about the limits of participation, the role of governments and the credibility of the apolitical character. That requires a fundamental and joint reflection within the EBU.”
AVROTROS would not fully comment on whether this matter could result in the Netherlands withdrawing from future contests:
“That partly depends on how the EBU deals with this situation and what steps are taken.”
There has been much fallout from the results of Eurovision 2025, which saw Israel winning the televote and finishing second overall — behind jury favourite Austria.
An investigation by the EBU’s independent fact-checking network, Spotlight, showed how a government-linked Israeli agency orchestrated a digital ad campaign to increase votes for Israel’s entry in this year’s contest.
The Netherlands is one of seven countries to raise concerns with the EBU following the 2025 contest in Basel. Spain’s RTVE, Iceland’s RÚV, Belgium’s VRT, Finland’s Yle, and Ireland’s RTÉ have either requested audits into their nation’s televoting and/or questioned the current voting system — particularly that allowing viewers to cast up to 20 votes creates room for coordinated campaigns and political influence, distancing Eurovision from its cultural and artistic focus.
Meanwhile, Slovenia’s RTVSLO has reaffirmed its position that a debate needs to be held on whether Israel should still be allowed to compete at the song contest.
Martin Green, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, has confirmed that the EBU will undertake discussions with competing broadcasters over the coming weeks as they prepare for next year’s event:
“Now that the event has concluded, we will have a broad discussion with the participating broadcasters to reflect and get feedback on all aspects of this year’s event. It is part of our planning process for next year’s 70th Eurovision Song Contest.”
There have been repeated calls from musicians, fans, unions, human rights activists, and other notable figures for Israel’s removal from Eurovision since the beginning of the Israel-Gaza war in October 2023. The conflict has seen more than 53,000 people killed in Gaza, with multiple international organisations accusing Israel of committing war crimes and acts of genocide.
The war began when Hamas carried out an attack in southern Israel on 7 October 2023, during which 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
Israel’s campaigns and their successes will fade out over time, just like the pity votes for Ukraine did. Even if the awful Netanyahu was to remain in power. Don’t expect the juries to give them as many or even more points than this year in the near future. By now, everyone knows what they’ll aim to do to the televoting. So yes, we might have to live with Israel campaigning its way to an automatic Top Ten result in 2026. But we also were able to handle the pre-jury bloc and diaspora voting era when Russia and Turkey were granted… Read more »
i personally think the contest should go back to a live orchastra smaller venue and use the 1975 to 1996 jury system that way its cheeper but also its properly live
It’s not gonna work with the brainrot that happened in the last 15 years. Attention spans are long gone, so nobody’s gonna watch that style of Eurovision anymore, sadly.
actually it could work get rid of all the affects and hold it in smaller venues people will then see it as a proper music contest again
The best song won, that’s all that matters. These days only those who thought they’re favorites, but flopped with televote, began complaining. lol (read Spain, GB, The Netherlands)
Also, since Israel bought all the votes, let’s just change to being able to vote online only once from one IP address or something like that.
I have nothing but contempt and disgust towards Netanyahu and his government, but its direct involvement in the ad campaign between 6?16 May doesn’t explain how 8.3 million views influence the vote of a potential 200 million viewers worldwide. There certainly needs to be a discussion about the televote as much as there should be one about jurors ppssibly boycotting the Israeli entry in advance.
Plus, did it bother you back in 2023 when Israel received 177 jury points and 178 points from the televote? Surely back then many of you must have thought they went out of their minds, not to mention Loreen’s 400 points that year. So don’t be so quick to embrace the jurors as the the contest’s redeemers. If Israel was already able to gain 178 points in 2023, what’s so far-fetched about reaching 300 points? I’m not saying the war isn’t creating a problem with a portion of the votes being purely in solidarity with Israel and barely nothing with… Read more »
2023 was actually a decent song. Poor lyrics, but decent.
In the Netherlands right wing politicians asked their followers on X to vote for Israel (just like last year). Did someone ask them to do that? The problem is a lot bigger than just the add’s,
The war didn’t start on October 7th…
I agree in that the contest should get back to is roots. It has become bloated and over-produced, as are many songs and their kitchen sink presentations. It can’t be right that acts have to rehearse or perform 10 times over two weeks. No wonder their welfare is at risk. ABBA were only in Brighton for a week. On-screen spokespeople are a waste of time and money considering they are just announcing one fact.
The best option would be that none of the country under war should participate in eurovision. Very clear. Every year Ukrain and Israel will get lots of points. Look at this year, plenty of fans though that Ukraine would struggle but at the end they won semi and ended up in top 10
but Ukraine’s performance was absolutely magical, I thought they were fantastic this year. I certainly did not like it just because Russia invaded their country. Just because you didn’t like it does not mean everyone who does, does so because they feel sympathy.
Very clear, but also morally indefensible.
Why punish a country like Ukraine because it’s “under war”? That’s abhorrent.
Well that’s an easy question to answer.
It never did to be honest. Eurovision always has a political side in it. It‘s only the EBU who doesn‘t realize it.
RTE has now officially requested the breakdown of Eurovision voting numbers in Ireland.
Confirmed via RTE News.
kinda expecting BBC joining soon… it’s definitely snowballing now
25 countries gave them zero points, so look at that for starters
The EBU are European Broadcasting Union. The broadcasters literally ARE the EBU. Raising discussions with the bureaucrats is not enough. A union exists to represent its members.
UK government has said they will sanction Israel if this doesn’t end soon.
So BBC will also be one if those broadcasters.
There all stacking up now. Hopefully this is the start of change.
Spain, Belgium, Iceland, Netherlands, Slovenia, Ireland, soon to be France and UK. 3 of the big 5 will definitely mean change is necessary.
Get them out!
Good, then set 1-vote from any device, just as up to now anyone can vote 20 times for any country, instead of blaming Israel for EBU’s voting procedures which applies equally for everyone. Also, make sure that your own Dutch representative and others don’t interrupt another artist’s conference-interview as Joost did to Eden due to his twisted political perspectives. Also discuss Iceland and Spain prime ministers interfering to pressure their broadcasters against Israel’s participation, and Belgium and Spain rule breaches by adding slides-campaigns and commentary during the show of twisted one-sided presentation on g3az3a with clearly trying to influence people… Read more »
Make sure Dutch right wing politicians don’t organise campaigns to vote for Israel… the participation of Israel makes the contest political and unfair and imo the solution is obvious. Besides rather a smaller contest, than a rigged or political one with propaganda songs.
I’m not sure 1 vote per device would be the best answer. The pro Israel will still massively vote for Israel while the others will have to choose between the other 25 countries. Plus EBU will never accept to cut to 1 vote per device, they want their money so bad.
A possibility would be to let the 20 votes as it is but allow only 5 votes for one country. This give the chance to the rest of the voters to cast 5 votes for multiple other countries other than Israel. I don’t know if it would work.
Slides? Please don’t lie anymore. On the Spanish radio station I was able to watch because I was on vacation in the Canary Islands, they gave two pieces of information: 1. That the Israeli singer was a survivor of the terrible October attacks; 2. That more than 15 children have died during the ongoing conflict in Gaza. In response to EBU’s threat to reveal this information in the grand finale, they had a brilliant idea: they didn’t give any information at all. Why say she’s a survivor of an attack and not say how many innocent children and women were… Read more »
Given the news from UK, France and Canada today, I wouldn’t be surprised if the BBC threatens next. If that happens, the EBU cannot just not act. One of the big five withdrawing would be catastrophic, two would be fatal.
One of the big five withdrawing would NOT be catastrophic, because the contest survived without Italy for 14 years. It also survived 1969/1970 when five other countries withdrew. They all came back.
Eurovision in the 2000s is a lot different financially to Eurovision in the 2020s.
Also, Italy rejoined the contest when we still had Turkey and Russia competing. With those two gone (who would have brought a lot of viewership and money to the contest) the EBU WILL feel the effects of a big 5 withdrawal
Yes, we already have a small amount of countries competing as it is with 37 three years in a row. Any more withdrawals and we’ll get some real financial pain.
And returnees like Montenegro need to be given some sort of assistance, which, oddly, was given to Luxembourg last year.
Totally different world and different circumstances. The BBC is one of the largest financial contributors to the EBU and it lends ESC credibility with other places like Australia but also even among competing European countries. If the BBC were to withdraw because of suspicions of cheating, that’s a major story because the BBC are generally thought to be reliable. Alone it would be enough to cause a crisis but along with Iceland, Norway, Finland, Denmark, Ireland, France, Belgium, Netherlands, Spain and Slovenia, the BBC threatening to withdraw becomes life or death for the contest.
Netherlands is big 6
The whole thing is a farce and they should have been banned from the competition when it started. The EBU thought they could be headstrong and ignore all complaints but it’s now getting to the point where they are on the wrong side of history and completely uproot the reason this competition was made in the first place. The executives should be ashamed
This is probably how they would’ve acted with Russia had we not had the intense pressure from the other broadcasters to expel it, and I think we’re definitely seeing the consequences here with Israel. Even if they finally have the balls to block Israel from competing next year at least, it may be too little too late. The disrepute is already here and it could be a long time before their reputation repairs, if at all or if next year will be the final contest. Austria may have given the contest another year, but we will see if it will… Read more »
“In a joint statement on Instagram” do you mean joined or was it really a joint statement?
The joint statement refers to the two Dutch broadcasters making the same statement on Instagram. Reading comprehension.
Just a friendly reminder that it was totally fine for:
To participate.
But Israel responding to the largest terror attack in national history? Well that’s just a bridge too far.;
Bingo.
They are responding to a terror attack by launch their own 20 month long terror attack. The IDF are terrorists too.
I wasn’t going to, but your last lines forced me to. Israel’s response to the “largest terror attack in national history” is completely disproportionate. Israel as committed approx 50x times worth of 7/10s on Palestine. Also submitting them to forced starvation. THAT is a bridge too far, but you already knew that but for some reason had to type that garbage above. Ireland got their most wins during the troubles, probably out of sympathy because there is a line between when something is worth being sympathetic towards, or being a bridge too far, you guys had our sympathies on 7/10… Read more »
It’s not a response if it’s still ongoing and comitting war crimes, like dropping B O M B S on hospitals, full of CHILDREN! Jesus Christ, have a f ing heart.
None of those countries was manipulating the televote though.
the country speaks about a politician who sent a clown a year ago who always had political biases…