RTVE President Jose Pablo Lopez has today announced his intention to propose Spain’s withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest 2027. This decision is reportedly due to the continued presence of Israel in the competition. If approved by the RTVE Board of Directors, it would mark Spain’s second consecutive absence from the major European music event.
RTVE President to advocate for continued non-participation
During his appearance before the Joint Parliamentary Control Commission of RTVE, Jose Pablo Lopez stated that he will recommend to the Corporation’s Board of Directors that Spain maintain its withdrawal from Eurovision 2027. This stance is a direct response to the ongoing participation of Israel’s public broadcaster in the organisation of the festival.
Lopez highlighted that while RTVE has actively pushed for ethical regeneration within the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and for stricter governance rules to prevent political instrumentalisation and ensure voting neutrality, not all objectives have been met. He described the continued participation of Israel’s public broadcaster as ‘painful,’ despite some technical advancements within the EBU.
🇪🇸📹 Así ha anunciado @Josepablo_ls su decisión de proponer al Consejo de Administración de RTVE que España no participe en #Eurovision 2027
🎙️ “Constatamos que hay avances técnicos, pero también hay una evidente asignatura pendiente en el terreno ético” pic.twitter.com/WvVBc2BwSi
— ESCplus España 🇪🇸 | Noticias de Eurovisión (@escplus_es) September 22, 2026
Jose Pablo Lopez says:
The position is firm: we have not stood idly by. This year, together with other countries, we have led a demand for the regeneration of the EBU and have negotiated to strengthen the governance rules, penalize political manipulation, and guarantee the neutrality of the festival.I’m not going to sugarcoat reality, and we are aware that not all the objectives have been achieved. It is painful that, despite everything, the Israeli public broadcaster will continue to participate,
A second consecutive absence for Spain?
Should the Board of Directors approve Lopez’s proposal, Spain would be absent from the Eurovision Song Contest for the second year in a row. Spain previously withdrew from Eurovision 2026, which was held in Vienna, Austria, also citing Israel’s participation as the reason. The 2027 edition of the contest is set to take place in Burgas, Bulgaria, following Bulgaria’s victory in 2026.
The decision for 2026 marked a significant moment, as Spain became the first of the ‘Big Five’ countries to decline participation and withdraw its funding, with RTVE also opting not to broadcast the event. The Board of Directors will now have the final say on Spain’s participation in Eurovision 2027.
Spain debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 and has competed in the contest every year religiously until 2026 when it withdrew from the contest due to Israel’s participation. Spain, The Netherlands, Slovenia, Iceland and Ireland withdrew from Eurovision 2026 due to Israel’s participation.