AVROTROS faces internal pressure to reconsider its boycott, with a final Netherlands Eurovision decision expected by late August.
While the Dutch national broadcaster AVROTROS declared that it would continue its boycott into Eurovision 2027, the return of the Netherlands to the upcoming contest remains up in the air. The national broadcaster is currently operating under internal pressure to reconsider its participation, and it has now emerged that the final decision on whether to return to Eurovision will be officially revealed at the end of this coming August.
The uncertainty regarding the participation of the Netherlands stems primarily from statements made by the contest’s director, Martin Green, who explicitly declared that no further discussions or votes would take place regarding the participation of Israel, and that the matter is closed.
“The Eurovision Song Contest is Important to the Netherlands”
A Dutch return has seemed like a viable possibility in recent weeks but the picture is not yet entirely clear. Following the conclusion of the recent Eurovision edition, another Dutch national broadcaster, Omroep MAX, dropped a bombshell. The national broadcaster declared its willingness to step up and take the place of the boycotting national broadcaster, ensuring that the Netherlands will not be absent from the grand stage even if AVROTROS withdraws again.
However, alongside this statement, reality appears less than rosy. Despite the strong desire to bring the Netherlands back to the contest, the national broadcaster announced it is struggling to find funding. In the past, the CEO of Omroep MAX, Jan Slagter, emphasized in an interview with the Dutch newspaper “AD” his desire to take charge of the mission. He added that he would gladly cooperate with the public broadcasting corporation NPO, which would assist them in covering the significant costs associated with participation.
Anticipated Developments in the Dutch Decision
Following the announcement by the national broadcaster AVROTROS that it will reveal its decision next month to Tina Nijkamp – the former Dutch national broadcaster director, commentator, and media expert, addressed the issue on her podcast. Nijkamp reveals that the decision may very well be predictable, and it will be announced that AVROTROS has decided not to take part in the contest this year either.
According to her, on the day the decision is disclosed to the media, Omroep MAX is indeed expected to take charge of the Dutch Eurovision return, despite previously announcing that it lacks the financial resources to fund it independently. As a reminder, under the rules of the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), even if the national broadcaster AVROTROS decides to withdraw from the contest for another year, the Netherlands would still be permitted to participate through another broadcasting entity.
In addition to her comments, Nijkamp notes on the podcast that the country’s decision to withdraw from the contest was a mistake and completely unnecessary. She claims that this significant step had no impact whatsoever on the continuation of the contest, and at the end of the day, Eurovision took place as usual despite the absence of several nations.
Looking Back at the Dutch Withdrawal
In December 2025, the Netherlands, along with four other nations, announced their withdrawal from the contest following the decision to retain Israel in it. The Dutch withdrawal came as no surprise, after the national broadcaster appeared to hesitate even before then regarding its decision to remain in the competition. As recalled, at Eurovision 2024, the Netherlands was disqualified on the day of the grand final following a physical incident between their representative at the time, Joost Klein, and a female production staff member.
The disqualification from the competition sparked significant controversy online and a storm surrounding Israel, following false speculations that the disqualification occurred due to Klein’s behavior toward the Israeli delegation at a press conference. The resulting uproar and sudden disqualification prompted AVROTROS to reconsider its participation in the contest. The national broadcaster led a sharp pro-Palestinian line, even declaring in September 2025 that it would not participate if Israel were present. Left aggrieved by the disqualification of Klein and angered by the participation of Israel, it ultimately announced its definitive withdrawal from the contest at the end of that year.
The withdrawal of the Netherlands did not enjoy media quiet, drawing criticism on one side and agreement from pro-Palestinian entities on the other. The leader of the opposition in the Netherlands, Geert Wilders, criticized the move and called the withdrawal “antisemitic.” On the other hand, the Dutch Eurovision 2019 winner, Duncan Laurence, supported his country’s withdrawal and spoke out against Israel, despite having won the contest himself when it was hosted there.
All that remains for fans and observers now is to eagerly await the national broadcaster’s decision at the end of August, to see if there is any slight chance of witnessing a grand Dutch return, despite the turn of events.
The Netherlands at Eurovision 2025
“C’est La Vie” is the title of the song performed by Claude, who represented the Netherlands at Eurovision 2025. The Netherlands qualified for the Grand Final after placing third in the first semi-final with 121 points. In the Grand Final, the Netherlands finished in 12th place with 175 points, with the jury awarding the country fifth place, but the public at home ranking it only 15th.
This year, the Netherlands participated in the Grand Final after two years of missing out. In 2023, Mia Nicolai and Dion Cooper failed to qualify from the semi-final, while in 2024, Joost Klein was disqualified after the semi-final due to a violent incident involving the competition’s production team.
Eurovision 2025: This was the Netherlands’ 65th participation in Eurovision. The Netherlands joined the competition in 1956, was one of the seven founding countries, and has won it five times over the years. The Netherlands’ last victory was at Eurovision 2019 with the song “Arcade” performed by singer Duncan Laurence.
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Nicole Postelnik is a reporter and commentator specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest. She has been following the competition since 2015, and since then, her love for Eurovision has grown stronger year after year.
