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Spain’s public broadcaster RTVE announced it will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is allowed to compete, citing ongoing violence in Gaza.
RTVE President Jose Pablo Lopez proposed the boycott, which was approved by the broadcaster’s 15-member board. The panel includes representatives from the ruling Socialist Workers’ Party (PSOE), opposition People’s Party (PP), the coalition’s smaller partner Sumar, and four other political parties.
With Spain joining the boycott, five countries have now indicated they may withdraw from Eurovision 2026 if Israel participates, including Iceland, Ireland, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Spain.
Spain has taken part in Eurovision 63 times since its debut in 1961, winning in 1968 and 1969. Spain is part of the “Big Five” countries—along with France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Italy—that automatically qualify for the final and provide significant financial support to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other top officials, including Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares, Deputy Prime Minister and Labor Minister Yolanda Diaz, and Culture Minister Ernest Urtasun, have argued that Israel should be excluded from international cultural and sporting events due to its military actions in Gaza, drawing parallels with sanctions imposed on Russia for its invasion of Ukraine.
The Sumar alliance launched a petition calling for Israel’s exclusion, quickly gathering over 5,000 signatures. RTVE also requested a discussion with the EBU regarding Israel’s participation in April and published a message before this year’s Basel contest emphasizing human rights.
RTVE commentators Tony Aguilar and Julia Varela highlighted that over 50,000 Palestinians, including more than 15,000 children, have been killed in Israeli attacks in Gaza, framing the boycott as a call for justice and human rights, not as a political attack against any nation.
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