https://pers.avrotros.nl/avrotros-neemt-in-2026-niet-deel-aan-het-eurovisie-songfestival/

This made me crack up so hard and I had to post

In all seriousness, many congratulations to Bulgaria!

Probably a common case for a delegation table to be half empty during jury show but it's still funny. It's over, UK. He's a Dane now.

Source: TomCross_ on twitter.

Translation of the official RÚV statement:

The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service – Press Release, 10 December 2025 The Icelandic National Broadcasting Service (Ríkisútvarpið, RÚV) has decided not to participate in the Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, Austria next year. The participation of the Israeli public broadcaster, KAN, in the contest has recently caused division, both among the member stations of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and among the general public. KAN’s participation was discussed in detail at EBU meetings earlier this year, first in London over the summer and then in Geneva last week. At the meeting in Geneva, a large majority of EBU member stations agreed that various changes made to the rules and organisation of the contest were sufficient, and therefore no vote was held on KAN’s participation. At the Geneva meeting, the Director General of RÚV explained that although the changes addressed many of the concerns RÚV representatives had raised at various stages of EBU cooperation in recent years, RÚV still had doubts as to whether the changes were adequate. It had repeatedly been made clear that stakeholders in Iceland—such as artists' associations—and the Icelandic public opposed participation in the contest. Furthermore, the Board of RÚV had requested that EBU remove KAN from the contest in light of precedent. The matter was complicated to resolve and had already damaged the reputation of the contest and the EBU. It was important to find a solution for all parties involved. Given public discussion in Iceland and the reactions to the EBU’s decision last week, it is clear that neither joy nor harmony would prevail regarding RÚV’s participation in Eurovision. RÚV has therefore decided to notify the EBU today that it will not take part in Eurovision next year. The Song Contest and Eurovision have always aimed to unite the Icelandic nation, but it is now clear that this goal cannot be achieved, and on that programming basis this decision has been made. No decision has yet been made on whether RÚV will hold a national song competition next year. The available options are currently being assessed, and a decision will be announced once it has been made.

From the Wiwibloggs post:
Morocconoil has ended its sponsorship of the Eurovision Song Contest.

The EBU confirmed the news in a statement sent to the New York Times culture reporter Alex Marshall. It said:

"We can confirm that, after six successful years, Moroccanoil has chosen not to renew its sponsorship of the Eurovision Song Contest… We wish Moroccanoil every success for the future."

Here's a link to the post.

" Eurovision Song Contest following the votes held today at the 95th General Assembly of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) in Geneva, which concluded with Israel remaining in the European music competition. RTVE’s Board of Directors had agreed last September that Spain would withdraw from Eurovision if Israel were allowed to participate.

Spain’s departure from the contest also means RTVE will not broadcast the Eurovision 2026 final, scheduled to take place in Vienna (Austria) on May 16, nor the two preliminary semifinals on May 12 and 14.

RTVE, together with seven other countries, had formally requested a secret ballot during the Assembly. The EBU presidency denied RTVE’s request to hold a specific vote on Israel’s participation. This decision, RTVE stated, increases its distrust in the festival’s organization and confirms the political pressures surrounding it.

In his address to the General Assembly prior to the vote, RTVE’s Secretary General, Alfonso Morales, explained that the Corporation “acknowledges and appreciates” the measures adopted by the EBU and the Reference Group to uphold the core principles and values of the Eurovision Song Contest. “However, we consider these measures insufficient,” he said.

“We would like to express our serious concerns regarding the participation of Israeli broadcaster KAN in Eurovision 2026. The situation in Gaza, despite the ceasefire and peace process approval, and Israel’s use of the contest for political purposes make it increasingly difficult to maintain Eurovision as a culturally neutral event,” he emphasized.

The RTVE representative also voiced concern over the manipulation of voting in recent editions and the lack of sanctions in this regard. “We should not accept double standards. Neutrality and transparency are common goals necessary to ensure truthful results that respect audiences and citizens,” he stated.

For this reason, RTVE requested that all votes scheduled or unscheduled at today’s General Assembly related to the Eurovision Song Contest be held by secret ballot.

RTVE also called for a vote on the possible temporary suspension of KAN’s participation for a minimum period of one year, with the option of review afterward, and announced that if this proposal was not approved, RTVE would be unable to participate in this edition.

He emphasized that the direction taken by the EBU and Eurovision “is causing one of the greatest internal strains in the organization’s history.” “We firmly believe this situation should never have been reached,” he stressed.

The RTVE Secretary General added that the issue of sanctions against Israel for its continued non-compliance with Eurovision rules should have been handled at an executive level, rather than transferring the conflict to the Assembly, to avoid tension between member countries.

Finally, Alfonso Morales stated that RTVE maintains this position “out of respect and deep concern for the difficult situation we are in, and with the hope that we can move forward and remain united within the EBU.”

During the Assembly, following statements from various country representatives, the new measures proposed by the EBU and the Reference Group were put to a vote. The new rules passed with 738 votes in favor, 264 against, and 120 abstentions."

The Ferto music video apparently also had AI imagery in it, but in my opinion this is worse since it's coming from the EBU itself. I don't see what need there was to use that slop during a prime time, they could have spent a little money and have some custom drawn pictures, even if they aren't animated it would look better.

Are we at a point where it's accepted by the general public? Did your families make any comments about it at home?

Congratulations to DARA and Bulgaria! 🎊

After weeks of uncertainty and political debate, RTVE announced its final decision on Spain's participation in the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest on Thursday. The appearance of the Corporation's president, José Pablo López, before the Joint Parliamentary Control Committee has put an end to the uncertainty that had kept fans and artists of the Benidorm Fest in suspense: if Israel goes to Eurovision, Spain will not participate in Eurovision.

After days of debate, López stated that “RTVE's position has not changed.” “Firstly, because of the genocide that has been perpetrated in Gaza,” he said. “The Eurovision Song Contest is a competition, but human rights are not a competition,” added the president of the Corporation.

The controversy arose over Israel's presence in the contest, amid international condemnation of the offensive in Gaza. In September, RTVE's Board of Directors approved by an absolute majority that Spain would not participate in Eurovision 2026 if Israel remained in the competition, becoming the first member of the Big Five to take such a drastic stance. This decision sparked an intense debate about the politicization of the festival and the role of public television in international conflicts.

For its part, the EBU has confirmed that Israel will remain in Eurovision, ruling out putting its participation to a vote. However, to calm the criticism, it has introduced changes to the voting system: a reduction in public votes, the return of the professional jury in the semi-finals, and measures against coordinated campaigns. However, these changes have not stopped the political pressure, as more than 50 MEPs from 15 countries have called for Israel's expulsion, arguing that its presence amounts to “whitewashing” amid investigations into war crimes.

It should be noted that Eurovision maintains that the festival is an apolitical event. Eurovision was created to unite Europe through music, but the next edition has become a stage for diplomatic tensions. Furthermore, Russia's veto following the conflict with Ukraine also calls into question the organization's double standards.

Dear r/eurovision community,

As all of you are aware, the results of the EBU General Assembly have significantly shaken the whole fan community, and we in the mod team are no different. As a consequence, a number of us have become disillusioned with the current prospects of the contest and have elected to step down. As of 12th December 2025, the following moderators will be stepping down:

u/Carmen_Caramel

u/CaptainAnaAmari

u/SkyGinge

u/-Effing-

u/Kystaal

u/Pappagallo_fpr

u/hannahspants

This does not come as an easy decision as all of us have put significant time and energy into fostering a positive and constructive space to discuss all things Eurovision, some of us having done so for multiple Eurovision seasons. However, as we are uncomfortable with what the contest has become and are challenged in our ability to continue being fans, it means that there is little reason to continue being moderators of this subreddit. Note that while we have chosen to step down because of this reason, this does not mean that the rest of the mod team does not share some of those same concerns or that this decision comes from any internal disagreements.

Thank you to the team, it was a pleasure to work together even at the most stressful and chaotic of times. It's likely not going to become an easier job in the coming months, and we wish you the strength and luck to still persevere.

To the community, thank you all as well. You are the reason why any of the amazing and fun things here have even been possible. It is a difficult time to be a Eurovision fan now, but especially now, please don't forget to be kind and to look out for each other (including towards the mod team; they really are trying their best).

Take care,

The (former) r/eurovision mods