Eurovision 2026: Spain threatens to boycott if Israel is not excluded

The Spanish Minister of Culture, Ernest Urtasun, requires the exclusion of Israel from the next Eurovision competition, scheduled for 2026 in Vienna, and does not exclude a withdrawal from Spain if nothing changes. The final decision, however, is the responsibility of RTVE, public television.

The European Union of Broadcasting (UER), organizer, has extended the registration time until mid-December, saying “understanding the concerns related to the conflict in the Middle East”, but for the moment refuses to rule out the Israeli chain Kan. Since the start of the war in Gaza in October 2023, described as genocide by numerous NGOs and experts in international law, calls for the boycott of Israel have multiplied. Spain thus joins Slovenia and several ex-participants in this request for exclusion. In Madrid, the government’s position reflects an increasing indignation in the face of the massacres of Palestinian civilians. Several large Spanish cities have already voted motions calling for the cultural boycott of Israel, while artists and collectives demand a clear break with Tel Aviv’s policy.

This showdown could weigh heavily on the future of Eurovision, of which Spain is one of the financial and media pillars. A Spanish withdrawal could lead to other countries in its wake and accentuate pressure on the UER, ordered not to endorse a state accused of war crimes and genocide.