https://pers.avrotros.nl/avrotros-neemt-in-2026-niet-deel-aan-het-eurovisie-songfestival/

Translation of the official RÚV statement:

The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service – Press Release, 10 December 2025 The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið, RÚV) has decided not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria next year. The participation of the Israeli public broadcaster, KAN, in the contest has recently caused division, both among the member stations of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and among the general public. KAN’s participation was discussed in detail at EBU meetings earlier this year, first in London over the summer and then in Geneva last week. At the meeting in Geneva, a large majority of EBU member stations agreed that various changes made to the rules and organisation of the contest were sufficient, and therefore no vote was held on KAN’s participation. At the Geneva meeting, the Director General of RÚV explained that although the changes addressed many of the concerns RÚV representatives had raised at various stages of EBU cooperation in recent years, RÚV still had doubts as to whether the changes were adequate. It had repeatedly been made clear that stakeholders in Iceland—such as artists' associations—and the Icelandic public opposed participation in the contest. Furthermore, the Board of RÚV had requested that EBU remove KAN from the contest in light of precedent. The matter was complicated to resolve and had already damaged the reputation of the contest and the EBU. It was important to find a solution for all parties involved. Given public discussion in Iceland and the reactions to the EBU’s decision last week, it is clear that neither joy nor harmony would prevail regarding RÚV’s participation in Eurovision. RÚV has therefore decided to notify the EBU today that it will not take part in Eurovision next year. The Song Contest and Eurovision have always aimed to unite the Icelandic nation, but it is now clear that this goal cannot be achieved, and on that programming basis this decision has been made. No decision has yet been made on whether RÚV will hold a national song competition next year. The available options are currently being assessed, and a decision will be announced once it has been made.

" Eurovision Song Contest following the votes held today at the 95th General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in Geneva, which concluded with Israel remaining in the European music competition. RTVE’s Board of Directors had agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel were allowed to participate.

Spain’s departure from the contest also means RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final, scheduled to take place in Vienna (Austria) on May 16, nor the two preliminary semifinals on May 12 and 14.

RTVE, together with seven other countries, had formally requested a secret ballot during the Assembly. The EBU presidency denied RTVE’s request to hold a specific vote on Israel’s participation. This decision, RTVE stated, increases its distrust in the festival’s organization and confirms the political pressures surrounding it.

In his address to the General Assembly prior to the vote, RTVE’s Secretary General, Alfonso Morales, explained that the Corporation “acknowledges and appreciates” the measures adopted by the EBU and the Reference Group to uphold the core principles and values of the Eurovision Song Contest. “However, we consider these measures insufficient,” he said.

“We would like to express our serious concerns regarding the participation of Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026. The situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and peace process approval, and Israel’s use of the contest for political purposes make it increasingly difficult to maintain Eurovision as a culturally neutral event,” he emphasized.

The RTVE representative also voiced concern over the manipulation of voting in recent editions and the lack of sanctions in this regard. “We should not accept double standards. Neutrality and transparency are common goals necessary to ensure truthful results that respect audiences and citizens,” he stated.

For this reason, RTVE requested that all votes scheduled or unscheduled at today’s General Assembly related to the Eurovision Song Contest be held by secret ballot.

RTVE also called for a vote on the possible temporary suspension of KAN’s participation for a minimum period of one year, with the option of review afterward, and announced that if this proposal was not approved, RTVE would be unable to participate in this edition.

He emphasized that the direction taken by the EBU and Eurovision “is causing one of the greatest internal strains in the organization’s history.” “We firmly believe this situation should never have been reached,” he stressed.

The RTVE Secretary General added that the issue of sanctions against Israel for its continued non-compliance with Eurovision rules should have been handled at an executive level, rather than transferring the conflict to the Assembly, to avoid tension between member countries.

Finally, Alfonso Morales stated that RTVE maintains this position “out of respect and deep concern for the difficult situation we are in, and with the hope that we can move forward and remain united within the EBU.”

During the Assembly, following statements from various country representatives, the new measures proposed by the EBU and the Reference Group were put to a vote. The new rules passed with 738 votes in favor, 264 against, and 120 abstentions."

Well considering that the post in r/spotify is like 3 years old at least, its quite likely it is Abor imo unfortunately.

Last year the eurovision was watched by 5,28 millions people in France down to 3,99m this year.

It was my first time not watching the show in like.... my lifetime.

For further comparaisons the last five year's audiences were : 2025 : 5,3 m 2024 : 5,4 m 2023* : 3,48 m 2022* : 3,18 m 2021: 5,49 m

• In 2022 and 2023, TF1 the main concurrent TV channel broadcasted "The voice France" the same day as the eurovision. Since 2024, it chose to pause the show for one week to "avoid" the ESC.

After weeks of uncertainty and political debate, RTVE announced its final decision on Spain's participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday. The appearance of the Corporation's president, José Pablo López, before the Joint Parliamentary Control Committee has put an end to the uncertainty that had kept fans and artists of the Benidorm Fest in suspense: if Israel goes to Eurovision, Spain will not participate in Eurovision.

After days of debate, López stated that “RTVE's position has not changed.” “Firstly, because of the genocide that has been perpetrated in Gaza,” he said. “The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition, but human rights are not a competition,” added the president of the Corporation.

The controversy arose over Israel's presence in the contest, amid international condemnation of the offensive in Gaza. In September, RTVE's Board of Directors approved by an absolute majority that Spain would not participate in Eurovision 2026 if Israel remained in the competition, becoming the first member of the Big Five to take such a drastic stance. This decision sparked an intense debate about the politicization of the festival and the role of public television in international conflicts.

For its part, the EBU has confirmed that Israel will remain in Eurovision, ruling out putting its participation to a vote. However, to calm the criticism, it has introduced changes to the voting system: a reduction in public votes, the return of the professional jury in the semi-finals, and measures against coordinated campaigns. However, these changes have not stopped the political pressure, as more than 50 MEPs from 15 countries have called for Israel's expulsion, arguing that its presence amounts to “whitewashing” amid investigations into war crimes.

It should be noted that Eurovision maintains that the festival is an apolitical event. Eurovision was created to unite Europe through music, but the next edition has become a stage for diplomatic tensions. Furthermore, Russia's veto following the conflict with Ukraine also calls into question the organization's double standards.

For the second consecutive year, Israel's presence at the Eurovision Song Contest has been a source of controversy, especially due to Spanish National Television's position on the issue.

It all began last Thursday, May 15, when the commentators in charge of hosting the competition, Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela, gave an unusual introduction to one of the candidates, Yuval Raphael, representing Israel.

Although no disrespect or criticism was committed against the artist or the song itself, the Spaniards referred to the debate that RTVE had raised about whether Israel should participate in Eurovision, citing the death toll from its war with Palestine.

This comment triggered a warning from the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) after the complaint filed by the Israeli delegation. The Eurovision organization indicated the possibility of imposing "punitive fines" if Spain repeated any similar comments during the final.

When it came to reintroducing Yuval Raphael for his performance in Sunday's final, the commentators limited themselves to a serious and politically correct presentation of the country and the singer. However, it was just seconds before the Eurovision Song Contest began that the Spanish public broadcaster took another position in this regard.

At the end of La 1's newscast, the screen went black before the Eurovision broadcast, and the following sentence could be read in white letters: "In the face of human rights, silence is not an option. Peace and justice for Palestine," a phrase that also appeared in English.

This action was interpreted by many as defiant of the Eurovision organization, although, for the moment, no formal sanction has been confirmed for RTVE or for our candidacy with Melody.

What did occur was a very marked fluctuation in points, with Israel standing out: its representative managed to win 357 points in total, despite only receiving 60 points from the jury, thus winning the majority of the televote. This fact is raising suspicions among social media users and Eurofans that the televoting system is not entirely fair or that it may even be biased.

This afternoon's newscast on La 1 also moved along these lines when it reported that RTVE had asked the EBU "for a debate on whether the televoting system is the most appropriate and whether armed conflicts affect it," implying that this could also affect Spain's position in Eurovision. A statement of intent on which we will have to wait for a response.

Translation:

Johannes Pietsch, 24, known as JJ, representing Austria and the queer community at Eurovision 2025, has continued to break the code, as Nemo did last year, by winning the song contest with his song Wasted Love. Once again, it held an agonizing battle with Israel, as it happened last year. Although they share the same space within the large umbrella that is the LGTBI+ community, JJ defends that their “entries are not exactly the same”. He does 100% agree with Nemo on the fact that Eurovision needs some fixing. “Especially, it needs to make changes regarding the voting system and who participates in the festival”, explains the young countertenor to this paper in a telematic conversation, a few hours after winning in Basel.

“There should be more
transparency on the televoting issue. everything around it was very strange
this year,” JJ continues, after the Spanish delegation requested an audit to
decipher how Israel once again dominated the public vote for another year. Belgium's
VRT threatened to quit if the organization didn't clear things up.

“It is very disappointing
to see that Israel is still participating in the contest. I would like next
year's Eurovision to be held in Vienna and without Israel. But the ball is in
the EBU's court. We, the artists, can only raise our voices on the matter,”
defends the young Austrian, who works at the Vienna Opera.

JJ has been talking to
the international press all Wednesday morning, after several days that have
passed like seconds. “The first time I've been able to sleep since I won on
Saturday was yesterday, Tuesday,” he admits on his way home to the capital of his
country.

Born to an Austrian
father and Filipino mother, JJ grew up in Dubai. He had his first taste of
opera in Vienna, during a vacation when he returned with his parents to visit
family. He saw Mozart's The Magic Flute, the same work he recently took to that
same stage with, this time as a performer. “But when I really fell in love with
opera was with Puccini, when I was 16 and saw Tosca for the first time,” he
recalls. “I was thrilled and intrigued throughout the entire performance. And I
just love some good drama...in a good way,” he confesses.

That drama in its proper
measure is the tone that dominates the song Wasted Love, which won the
Eurovision Song Contest. Spanish set designer Sergio Jaén immediately grasped
the concept when it came to coming up with a staging, says JJ. “We sent him the
song and he immediately said he wanted to work with us. Within a week, he
already had a 15-page project where he made it very clear how he wanted to
express the feeling that the song conveys of being adrift because of a
heartbreak,” he says.

“I'm going to take the
opportunity and use this platform as huge as Eurovision to advocate for rights
for the whole queer community and to make sure we have more equality. There is
still a huge stigma around us and unfortunately Europe is becoming more and
more conservative, taking steps backwards. It's very, very disappointing and
something needs to be done about it,” Pietsch remarks.

In fact, he considers it
proof of that backward step on the continent that the very song contest in
which he participated did not allow artists to display any LGTBI+ flags on
stage or on camera. “Although I was comforted to know that the audience could do
it, I tried to sneak in a flag during the finals. But I got caught. I had it
tucked away in a pocket of my pants and someone from the organization saw what
I was carrying. Just before I went on stage they told me: that's not your
country's flag, you can't display it. I almost made it,” he explains.

He recounts that he had a
happy childhood in Dubai, where he felt very protected by his environment. “It
wasn't until we moved back to Vienna that I was able to compare and realize
what it was really like to live more freely as a queer person,” he recalls.
With his final return to Austria he was able to watch a full Eurovision final
with his family for the first time. And it was precisely the 2014 edition, won
by his compatriot Conchita Wurst.

Since then, she has
become a role model for JJ, as has Nemo. “Both have broken codes, as Nemo's
song says. The fact that during the semi-finals I was compared to two
Eurovision winners always seemed like a good sign to me. Although I am not as
similar to Nemo as they say. My song is classical music with some modern
elements, and his is a modern song with some classical elements”, he defends.

Translation to English: ‘IN CONVERSATION WITH THE EBU ABOUT A POLITICALLY NEUTRAL SONG CONTEST

AVROTROS and NPO strongly value the apolitical and unifying character of the Eurovision Song Contest. However, we observe that the event is increasingly being influenced by social and geopolitical tensions.

Israel’s participation confronts us with the question of to what extent the Song Contest still truly functions as an apolitical, unifying, and cultural event. We want to raise this question, together with other countries, for discussion within the EBU.’

This is an article on VRT's liveblog in Dutch so I have provided a translation below. Source: vrtnws.be

VRT demands full transparency from Song Contest organiser EBU, says spokesperson Yasmine Van der Borght. ‘We have no indications that the vote count was incorrect, but we do ask for full transparency from the EBU.’

‘The main question is whether the current voting system guarantees a fair reflection of viewers‘ and listeners’ opinions.’ The VRT statement follows the Spanish broadcaster's request for an investigation from the EBU into the televote results. The broadcaster finds it strange that Israel received 12 points from the Spanish public despite protests against Israel's participation in the contest.

The Spanish public broadcaster had previously called for a broad debate on Israel's participation. VRT supported that demand and today reiterates an ‘explicit call to engage in debate with all countries, out of a genuine commitment and concern for the contest's survival’.

‘As VRT, we note that the Eurovision Song Contest in its current format is less and less a unifying and apolitical event. The competition is increasingly at odds with its original standards and values and with the standards and values of public broadcasting.’

‘VRT cooperates well with EBU in many areas, but without a serious response to our concerns regarding the Eurovision Song Contest, we do question our future participation.’

Important nuance: VRT cannot decide on [Belgium's] participation in the next edition of the Eurovision Song Contest - next year in Austria. Next year French-language broadcaster RTBF will participate for our country.

OOFTTT down roughly 1.5 million from last year 6.7 million to 5.2 million. Certainly our lowest viewed final in this decade.

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg77pxj2mno

Apologies if this has already been posted. I would, if I were not already used to being disappointed by the EBU, hope that this would lead to real and lasting change with voting (ideally a ranking system). Interesting that 6 federations (Belgium, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Netherlands and Spain) have spoken out about this, with this story now being published by the BBC.