NPO Cancels Netherlands’ Eurovision 2027 Entry Amid Division Over Israel

The Dutch public broadcaster NPO cancelled the Netherlands’ Eurovision Song Contest entry for 2027 on October 27, reversing its announcement last month that the country would return. NPO said it paused preparations after consulting the College van Omroepen because discussions with broadcasters had failed to produce enough support for participation. NPO media director Jurre Bosman said Israel’s participation had caused division in Dutch society, among broadcasters and among their staff. He said an artist and the accompanying team should only be sent with the full backing of one or more broadcasters. “The Song Contest belongs with public broadcasting,” Bosman said. NPO chair Jet de Ranitz said she had initially believed sufficient support existed, but no workable arrangement had emerged. De Ranitz also ruled out assigning responsibility to NTR, which has a statutory role in filling gaps in public broadcasting. NPO said it could have used that route, but she considered it irresponsible to compel a broadcaster to organize the entry under the divided circumstances. The decision concerns the Dutch contestant: NOS will still broadcast both semifinals and the final with Dutch commentary and preview coverage. On September 23, NPO had announced that Dutch participation would resume in 2027, with an independent team selecting and assisting the entry. That announcement set the contest in Burgas, Bulgaria, with semifinals on May 11 and 13 and the final on May 15. NPO said it will continue discussions with the European Broadcasting Union about the contest’s future.