Ireland Boycotts Eurovision Again Over Gaza Deaths
Ireland Boycotts Eurovision Again Over Gaza Deaths
The News
Ireland will not take part in the 2027 Eurovision Song Contest, its national broadcaster RTÉ said Thursday, citing the ongoing loss of life in Gaza.
It is the second year in a row Ireland has boycotted the contest.
In a statement, RTÉ said Ireland's participation "cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza."
The 2027 contest is due to be held in the Bulgarian city of Burgas.
Timeline
RTÉ announces Ireland will not participate in Eurovision 2027, Reuters reports, with the broadcaster pointing to the continuing deaths in Gaza. The BBC reports the same decision, quoting RTÉ's statement that taking part "cannot be justified."
Reuters, the BBC and The Independent all report the withdrawal follows Ireland's boycott of the previous contest.
Reactions
RTÉ framed the decision in moral terms rather than logistical ones: participation "cannot be justified given the appalling and ongoing loss of lives in Gaza," the broadcaster said in its statement, as reported by the BBC.
Reuters reported the withdrawal as a repeat of last year's stance, tied directly to the war in Gaza.
What's Next
The 2027 Eurovision Song Contest is still scheduled for Burgas, Bulgaria, without Ireland on the entry list.
Whether other broadcasters follow Ireland's lead — and how contest organizers respond to a second Irish withdrawal — is the open question going into next year's competition.
More
Eurovision is run by national public broadcasters, which means decisions like RTÉ's are made by state-funded media organizations rather than by artists — turning an entry, or its absence, into a political statement.
Poll
Should broadcasters boycott international events over a country's wartime conduct?
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