Belgium’s French and Dutch-language national broadcasters will jointly decide the country’s stance on Israel ahead of Eurovision 2026, raising concerns that Belgium may back calls for Israel’s exclusion.
Belgium, a country divided into two main language regions, also operates with two national broadcasters: a French-speaking (Walloon) broadcaster and a Dutch-speaking (Flemish) broadcaster. This year, the French-speaking national broadcaster, RTBF, is responsible for selecting Belgium’s representative.
In September, the broadcaster announced that it would make an official decision on whether to take part in Eurovision 2026 after the European Broadcasting Union’s General Assembly, scheduled for today. Now the Flemish national broadcaster, VRT, which was responsible last year and will be again next year, has declared that Belgium’s position in today’s discussion will not be determined by the Walloons alone but will be decided jointly by both national broadcasters.
This development raises concerns regarding Israel’s position in the contest, as the Flemish broadcaster is known for its harsher stance toward Israel, increasing the likelihood that Belgium might join the growing list of countries calling for Israel’s exclusion in today’s debate.
The French-speaking national broadcaster has not threatened to withdraw from Eurovision if Israel continues to participate, and has postponed its final decision on Belgium’s participation until after today’s discussion. The Flemish national broadcaster, VRT, on the other hand, publicly expressed its support back in September for Ireland, Spain, Slovenia and the Netherlands – the states advocating a boycott. In its statement at the time, the broadcaster even threatened not to air the contest this year if “the message sent by the European Broadcasting Union is not strong enough.”
The involvement of the Flemish national broadcaster, VRT, in shaping Belgium’s position could work to Israel’s disadvantage, as VRT is widely regarded as one of the most critical and consistently anti-Israeli broadcasters in Europe, with coverage of Israel often described as strongly negative and heavily skewed in favour of the Palestinian side. In today’s statement, the Flemish broadcaster noted that the Walloon side is already at an advanced stage of its internal selection process for Belgium’s Eurovision 2026 act, which offers a small glimmer of hope that Israel’s participation is not a strict precondition for Belgium. However, the outcome of the discussion in the coming hours remains uncertain, as does the final decision that will be taken there.
Last year, VRT aired an anti-Israel campaign immediately before Eurovision, an act that in itself runs counter to the contest’s rules. Nonetheless, Belgium – often presenting itself as a champion of human rights – faced no consequences for this move.
Belgium at Eurovision 2025:
“Strobe Lights” is the name of the song performed by Red Sebastian, who represented Belgium in the first semi-final of Eurovision 2025 in Basel, Switzerland. Belgium did not qualify for the grand final, finishing 14th out of 15 with only 23 points.
This marks the second consecutive year that Belgium has failed to reach the final. In the past ten years, Belgium has qualified for the final only five times.
Eurovision 2025: This was Belgium’s 66th participation in the contest. Belgium joined Eurovision in 1956 as one of its seven founding nations. The country’s best result came in 1986, when Sandra Kim won first place with “J’aime la vie”.
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Ofek Jerassi is an Israeli reporter, editor, content creator, and commentator, specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. He has developed his extensive expertise since childhood, becoming a close follower of the contest. For the past three years, he has served as a writer and editor for EuroMix—Israel’s largest Eurovision website and one of the world’s leading platforms in the field, with over 1.5 million users annually.
Ofek covered Eurovision 2025 on-site in Basel from the press center in the host city, providing EuroMix readers with firsthand experiences, professional analysis, and exclusive reactions from the audience, artists, and experts. His in-depth knowledge and broad familiarity with the Eurovision world are evident in every article, ensuring reliable, professional, and up-to-date content.
In his personal life, Ofek is a medic and avid traveler. He writes out of a genuine love for Eurovision, placing strong emphasis on credibility, professional commentary, and presenting a diverse range of opinions.
