Netherlands withdraws from ‘no longer’ neutral Eurovision

South China Morning Post·August 24, 2026 at 9:30 AM+4

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The Netherlands will not take part in next year’s Eurovision Song Contest, its broadcaster has said, adding that the event can “no longer be considered neutral” given divisions over the Gaza war. “It is undeniable that international conflicts are increasingly affecting the contest, undermining its neutral character. The Eurovision Song Contest has therefore become a platform for division,” said Taco Zimmerman, director general of AVROTROS in a statement from the broadcaster on Monday. The...

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Netherlands withdraws from ‘no longer’ neutral Eurovision

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