The board of Spanish state broadcaster RTVE voted on Tuesday to pull out of the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna if Israel participates.
Spain becomes the fifth nation to make this commitment, following the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland. It is also the first among the “Big Five”—which includes Britain, Germany, Italy, and France—to do so. These countries automatically advance to the contest’s finals.
RTVE President Jose Pablo Lopez’s proposal received 10 votes in favor, four against, and one abstention from the 15-member board, according to the broadcaster’s statement.
Eurovision, which prides itself on political neutrality, has encountered controversy this year due to the Gaza conflict.
Several nations had urged the European Broadcasting Union, the public broadcasters’ alliance that organizes the event, to exclude Israel from the 2025 contest. Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael finished in second place.
This year’s winner, Austrian singer JJ, has also advocated for Israel’s exclusion in 2026.
