Portuguese right-wing party CHEGA will propose the privatization of the national broadcaster RTP this September, putting Portugal’s Eurovision 2027 participation at serious risk.
Is another country on its way to leaving the Eurovision Song Contest due to political and economic motives? The list of participants for Eurovision 2027 in Bulgaria could suffer an unexpected blow, and this time from Portugal. The local right-wing party CHEGA, the second largest party in the Portuguese parliament, announced that it will move forward this coming September with an official bill for the full privatization of the Portuguese national broadcaster RTP.
Strict EBU Rules: Privatization Equals Disqualification
According to a report in the SOL newspaper, the party under the leadership of André Ventura has already opened exploratory talks with the government regarding the sale or restructuring of the national broadcaster. According to its leaders, the maintenance costs of the channel have become “unbearable for taxpayers,” and they additionally claim that the public does not receive added value for its money. Sources in the party further added that RTP has become “a bottomless pit of public money, and beyond that – a refuge for people who no longer represent Portuguese society and are only there for political reasons.”
For Eurovision fans, this is particularly worrying news. According to the rules of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), only public, state-owned, and apolitical national broadcasters are eligible for active member status, which grants the right to participate in the contest. If RTP is indeed privatized and becomes a commercial-private channel, its status within the European Broadcasting Union will be re-examined immediately, which will likely lead to the revocation of its membership. Such a step would leave Portugal – a country with a rich history and one unforgettable victory in Eurovision 2017 – outside the Eurovision stage and other international events.
Portugal’s Countdown: The Dilemma to Be Decided in Autumn
In Portugal, the economic struggle focuses on the “audiovisual tax” collected from every Portuguese taxpayer in favor of the channel, while Member of Parliament Cristina Rodrigues has already demanded an official audit of RTP due to losses of approximately four million euros.
The fateful decision in the Portuguese parliament will arrive with the opening of the autumn session in September. Will political pressure lead to the collapse of public broadcasting in Portugal, or will the fear of losing international cultural assets like Eurovision stop the move? EuroMix will continue to monitor the fate of Portugal’s participation in Eurovision with vigilance.
Portugal at Eurovision 2026
“Rosa” (in English: “Rose”) is the song that was performed by the band Bandidos Do Cante, which represented Portugal in the first semi-final on May 12th, in Vienna, Austria. Portugal has failed to qualify to the final, finishing 12th place.
Eurovision 2026: This was Portugal’s 57th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Portugal joined the competition in 1964 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2017 when singer Salvador Sobral won first place with the song “Amar pelos dois”.
