Dutch public broadcaster pulls Dutch entry from Eurovision

The Netherlands will not send a performer to the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest.

NPO, the umbrella organization for Dutch public broadcasters, made the announcement on Tuesday. This move reverses a decision made in September to return to the competition.

The reversal follows internal disagreements over the participation of Israel in the event. Jet de Ranitz, the director of NPO, stated that the organization could not secure a specific broadcaster to send a Dutch artist. He explained that the themes surrounding the contest remained sensitive. De Ranitz said, “Due to the sensitivities surrounding the themes currently at play, we have decided to take a step back for the time being.”

The initial plan for the 2027 edition involved a joint project among several public broadcasters. NPO intended to coordinate the selection of the performer and manage the event coverage. The September announcement to return had sparked opposition within the media industry. Hundreds of NPO employees signed a letter against participation earlier this month. Several prominent Dutch media figures also voiced their objections publicly.

De Ranitz noted that NPO held discussions with partner broadcasters to gauge support for the return. The organization initially believed there was enough backing to proceed. The Netherlands is one of five longtime participants that boycotted the 2026 edition. The other four were Spain, Ireland, Iceland, and Slovenia. These countries withdrew after organizers kept Israel in the contest despite its conduct of the war in Gaza and violence in the West Bank.

NPO will continue to broadcast the 2027 event even though it will not have a competing artist. The 2026 contest took place in May and featured 35 countries. Bulgarian singer Dara won the competition. The 2026 final drew 130 million viewers worldwide, a drop from the 160 million viewers who watched the 2025 show.