What is Austria's position regarding the Eurovision Song Contest?

Austria's foreign minister has appealed to countries not to boycott the Eurovision Song Contest due to Israel's participation, emphasizing the importance of unity and dialogue.

Which countries have pledged to boycott Eurovision if Israel participates?

Countries such as Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland, and Ireland have pledged to withdraw from the Eurovision Song Contest if Israel takes part.

What concerns did Austria's foreign minister express in her letter?

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger expressed concern that boycotts could create division among European Broadcasting Union members and fail to improve the situation in Gaza.

How does Eurovision view its political stance?

Eurovision emphasizes its political neutrality and has faced controversy related to the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

What did Austrian singer JJ advocate regarding Israel's participation?

Austrian singer JJ, who won this year, has called for Israel's exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026.

Editorial & Advertiser disclosure

Global Banking & Finance Review® is an online platform offering news, analysis, and opinion on the latest trends, developments, and innovations in the banking and finance industry worldwide. The platform covers a diverse range of topics, including banking, insurance, investment, wealth management, fintech, and regulatory issues. The website publishes news, press releases, opinion and advertorials on various financial organizations, products and services which are commissioned from various Companies, Organizations, PR agencies, Bloggers etc. These commissioned articles are commercial in nature. This is not to be considered as financial advice and should be considered only for information purposes. It does not reflect the views or opinion of our website and is not to be considered an endorsement or a recommendation. We cannot guarantee the accuracy or applicability of any information provided with respect to your individual or personal circumstances. Please seek Professional advice from a qualified professional before making any financial decisions. We link to various third-party websites, affiliate sales networks, and to our advertising partners websites. When you view or click on certain links available on our articles, our partners may compensate us for displaying the content to you or make a purchase or fill a form. This will not incur any additional charges to you. To make things simpler for you to identity or distinguish advertised or sponsored articles or links, you may consider all articles or links hosted on our site as a commercial article placement. We will not be responsible for any loss you may suffer as a result of any omission or inaccuracy on the website.

Home > Headlines > Host Austria seeks to avoid Eurovision boycott over Israel participation

Headlines

Host Austria seeks to avoid Eurovision boycott over Israel participation

Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®

Posted on September 20, 2025

2 min read

Last updated: January 21, 2026

Host Austria seeks to avoid Eurovision boycott over Israel participation - Headlines news and analysis from Global Banking & Finance Review

Austria Urges Against Eurovision Boycott Over Israel's Participation

ZURICH (Reuters) -Austria's foreign minister has appealed to countries not to boycott next year's Eurovision Song Contest - due to be held in Vienna - over Israel's participation and concerns about the war in Gaza.

Spanish state broadcaster RTVE's board voted on Tuesday to withdraw from the 2026 event if Israel takes part, becoming the fifth country to make such a pledge.

The Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland have made similar pledges, while Belgian broadcaster VRT has said it supports their stance.

Austrian Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger wrote to colleagues in the six countries on Friday, saying she was concerned about boycotts creating division and not improving the situation in Gaza.

"As foreign minister of the host country, I am deeply concerned about the risk of a rift between the members of the European Broadcasting Union on this issue," she wrote in the letter that has been seen by Reuters.

"Such a rift would only deepen the discord and preclude opportunities for important dialogue between artists and the public – without improving the situation on the ground in Israel and Gaza," Meinl-Reisinger added.

Although conflict and humanitarian suffering could not be ignored, Eurovision was not a suitable arena for sanctions, she wrote.

"Excluding Israel from the Eurovision Song Contest or boycotting the event would neither alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza nor contribute to a sustainable political solution," Meinl-Reisinger wrote.

Eurovision, which stresses its political neutrality, has faced controversy this year linked to the war in Gaza.

Several countries urged the European Broadcasting Union, an alliance of public broadcasters that organises and co-produces the annual event, to exclude Israel from the 2025 edition. Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael ended up finishing second.

Austrian singer JJ, who won this year, has also called for Israel's exclusion in 2026.

(Reporting by John RevillEditing by Mark Potter)

Host Austria seeks to avoid Eurovision boycott over Israel participation

Quick Summary

Austria Urges Against Eurovision Boycott Over Israel's Participation

Key Takeaways

Frequently Asked Questions about Host Austria seeks to avoid Eurovision boycott over Israel participation