Spain Quits Eurovision After EBU Refuses to Act Over Israel Dispute
Spain’s long-running relationship with Eurovision has come to an abrupt halt. After a fractious meeting in Geneva, RTVE confirmed it will withdraw from the 2026 contest, following the EBU’s decision to keep Israel in the line-up and to block a secret ballot requested by eight countries.
It’s the first time Spain walks away from the competition since joining in 1961, and the tone from RTVE suggests it didn’t do so lightly.
A Growing Rift That Finally Snapped
Speaking to the Assembly, RTVE Secretary-General Alfonso Morales admitted that he recognises the EBU’s attempts to preserve the contest’s neutrality. But the key line came later: the measures are “not enough”.
Behind that understatement lies a much deeper frustration. RTVE argues that Israel has repeatedly breached Eurovision rules without facing consequences, and that KAN has used the contest politically at a moment when the humanitarian situation in Gaza has pushed tensions to the limit.
For Morales, presenting Eurovision as a neutral cultural event in these circumstances is “increasingly unrealistic”.
A Process That Only Deepened Distrust
The situation escalated further when the EBU presidency rejected two of Spain’s key requests: a secret vote for the day’s decisions, and a specific vote on Israel’s participation. According to sources present in the room, neither proposal gained real traction, widening an already visible divide.
Morales warned that the leadership shown by the organisation in recent months has created one of the most significant internal strains the EBU has faced. Coming from a founding member, it carries weight.
Spain Steps Off the Stage
With the decision made, RTVE will not broadcast the 2026 semi-finals or the final from Vienna.
For a Big Five country to withdraw is no minor footnote: financially, structurally and symbolically, Spain’s absence will leave a gap.
The bigger question now is whether this is an isolated rupture or the beginning of a broader realignment inside the EBU. Several broadcasters had already expressed discomfort with the handling of recent editions. Spain is simply the first to put its foot down publicly.
What This Means for Eurovision
The contest has weathered controversies before, but not often one involving a walkout from a major member. How the EBU responds in the coming months will determine whether this remains a one-off protest or sparks a more serious internal crisis.
RTVE, por su parte, insists it remains committed to the wider work of the EBU, though it is stepping away from Eurovision “out of responsibility and concern for the situation”.
For now, the only certainty is that Eurovision 2026 will go ahead without one of its fixtures, and the political tensions that led to this moment won’t disappear with the next key change on stage.
Source: RTVE
