RTÉ confirmed that it will not submit an application or broadcast the Eurovision contest in 2027, which will be held in Bulgaria. This decision was motivated by the 'continuous and terrible loss of lives in Gaza and the humanitarian crisis that puts the lives of many civilians at risk.'
This move follows the announcement made at the end of August by the Netherlands, which also opted not to participate in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest. The Netherlands justified the refusal by claiming that the contest had lost its neutrality due to the presence of Israel.
The statement from the Dutch public broadcaster, AVROTROS, indicated that participation would be unfeasible since 'the event can no longer be considered neutral, with a participating country still involved in a large-scale military conflict.'
The inclusion of Israel in the competition reignited controversies and led to several calls for its exclusion. As a result, five nations—Spain (a member of the 'Big5' group), Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland—decided to boycott the event.
These boycotts are directly linked to the military attacks carried out by Israel in the Palestinian territory of the Gaza Strip. Such attacks have resulted in the death of at least 73,000 people since October 2023 and have been classified as genocide by an independent international investigation commission of the United Nations.
The European Broadcasting Union (EBU) informed in August that the city of Burgas, located on the Black Sea, has been selected to host the 71st edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, scheduled for May 11, 13, and 15, 2027.
This announcement about the host city came one day after the EBU released changes to its regulations. Among these changes was the possibility of the winning country being prevented from organizing the event if it is in 'armed conflict, a sensitive geopolitical situation, or another circumstance that materially affects the security or stability' of the local area or the surrounding region.
The contest has a tradition dating back to 1956 and has already seen the exclusion of countries, such as Belarus in 2021, following the re-election of President Alexander Lukashenko, and Russia in 2022, following the invasion of Ukraine.