Ireland has decided to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest for the second consecutive year due to Israel’s participation, as announced by the country’s national broadcaster, RTE, on Thursday. RTE stated that they will not be sending a representative to the 2027 event in Bulgaria and will not air the show in light of the ongoing violence in Gaza.

In a similar stance, Ireland joined four other nations – the Netherlands, Iceland, Slovenia, and Spain – in abstaining from the Eurovision contest this year to express their objection to Israel’s involvement. The Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS recently declared that they too will be boycotting the competition next year, citing Eurovision as a platform that fosters division.

AVROTROS emphasized that they will not be partaking in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest due to the lack of neutrality, especially with a participating country embroiled in a significant military conflict. The upcoming competition is scheduled to be held in May in Bulgaria’s Black Sea resort town of Burgas.