Eurovision 2026 unfolded amid intensifying controversy over Israel’s participation, with Spain and Ireland among the countries boycotting the event entirely.
It now looks like the 2027 Song Contest will be plagued with the same crisis, as Belgium’s broadcaster has indicated they do not plan on sending an act to Bulgaria, despite being among the seven countries that took part in the inaugural 1956 Eurovision.
Flemish broadcaster VRT has said it is unlikely they will throw a song in the running, unless there is direct action taken over the perceived mismanagement of the competition by the European Broadcasting Union, which is the association of public broadcasters that organises the extravaganza.
Yasmine Van der Borght, a spokesperson for the VRT, said: ‘Today, the chances are slim that VRT will send an artist next year.
‘We expect the EBU to make a clear statement against war and violence and for respect for human rights.
‘Therefore, we are asking for a clear framework for participation, an open debate and a direct vote among EBU members. So far, we have received an insufficient response to this.
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Which countires were in the inaugural Eurovision in 1956?
- Belgium
- France
- West Germany
- Italy
- Luxembourg
- Netherlands
- Switzerland
The first Eurovision competition was held in Lugano, Switzerland on May 24, 1956 and was won by Switzerland with the song Refrain by Lys Assia.
‘Even during the semi-finals this week, we received no signal that the EBU is hearing our concerns. Naturally, we want to discuss this with other broadcasters. But if the EBU’s position does not change, the chances are slim that VRT will send an artist next year.’
Van der Brought went on to say that VRT is asking for ‘an objective framework like other international organisations have: what are the conditions for a country to participate and what are not conditions? That is currently lacking.’
The EBU has come under fire in recent years over Israel’s presence in the competition amid its brutal military action in Palestine, which has resulted in over 70,000 Palestinian deaths and reduced much of the infrastructure in Gaza to rubble.
It comes after Russia was notably booted from the competition in 2022 after it invaded Ukraine, who went on to win Eurovision that year. Russia has been barred from returning to the Eurovision stage since, setting a precedent that the EBU has now indicated they might roll back on.
The pressure on the EBU ramped up ahead of this year’s show when a New York Times investigation found that the Israeli government had been partially funding a voting campaign, urging the diaspora to back Israel’s song in the public vote and showing how to vote up to 20 times.
Elsewhere, social media posts on Israeli government accounts – including that of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – encouraged people to vote multiple times.
That might explain why Israel has been pushed near the top of the leaderboard in 2025 and 2026, despite their songs receiving more tepid receptions from the juries.
The EBU approved new rules ahead of this year’s Song Contest that limited the public vote limit to 10, rather than 20, and discouraged ‘disproportionate promotion campaigns’ conducted by third parties, including governments.
However, they were forced to issue Israel’s Eurovision broadcaster a formal warning just days before the contest kicked off in Vienna.
Metro contacted Eurovision for comment on this story.
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