Eurovision 2026: no of Spain if there will be Israel
Spain, First country among the “Big Five” – the five major financiers of the Eurovision together with Italy, France, Germany and the United Kingdom – to adopt this positionmarks a turning point. The proposal, made by the president of Rtve José Pablo Lopez, was approved by a majority by the Board of Directors with 10 votes in favor, 4 against and 1 abstention. The move aims to exert pressure in view of the General Assembly of the European Union of RadioDiffusion (Uer), scheduled for December 2025, which will decide whether to confirm the participation of Israeli public TV Kan.
This decision is part of a broader debate, rekindled in Spain also from recent events such as the interruption of the last stage of the Vuelta of cycling for pro-Palestine protests. “Until the barbarism, neither Russia nor Israel must be an end to any international competition,” said Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez. Words that echo in the statements of the Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun: “As Ireland, Slovenia, Iceland and also the Netherlands have already done, if we cannot expel Israel, Spain must not participate”.
Eurovision and politics
The Spanish boycott is based on precedent of the exclusion of Russia from Eurovision following the invasion of Ukraine. Then that decision had been justified with the motivation of non -compliance with the values of the public service by the Russian broadcaster. However, the organization defended the presence of Israel, underlining that Eurovision is a competition between public broadcasters, not governments. A position that did not convince everyone: already in 2025, the Spanish commentators Tony Aguilar and Julia Valera had expressed criticisms during the live broadcast, attracting attention to the Palestinian victims.
Israel, however, for its part, does not seem intent on selling.
What Spain will do now
Despite the possible withdrawal from the Eurovision, Rtve clarified that the Benidorm Fest, the national music festival that selects the Spanish representative for the event, will not undergo variations. “A festival with its own identity, totally consolidated and which next year celebrates its fifth edition”, reads a press release from the issuer. This underlines how Spain intends to keep its musical tradition alive, regardless of participation in the international competition.
A debate that divides
Madrid’s choice is not isolated, but fits into A wider movement that sees artists and countries ask for a rethinking of the Eurovision rules. Last year, a petition signed by several former participants had already invoked the exclusion of Israel, without obtaining the desired result. The Spanish boycott could push other countries to reconsider their participation, making the 2026 edition one of the most controversial in recent history.