A new poll shows that the majority of Dutch and Belgian fans support Eurovision 2027 participation alongside Israel.

Political attempts to generate a wave of boycotts surrounding the Eurovision Song Contest are suffering a significant perceptual blow among the contest’s core fanbase: an extensive public opinion poll examining public sentiment regarding Belgian and Dutch participation in Eurovision 2027 to be held in Burgas, Bulgaria – which surveyed 451 respondents (including 248 fans from Belgium and 203 from the Netherlands) – clearly demonstrates that despite controversies and calls to exclude Israel, most fans wish to separate politics from music and participate in Eurovision as usual, alongside Israel. The survey was conducted by the leading Belgian Eurovision website Songfestival.be.

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Belgium: Broad Support for Participation and Resistance to Upheaval

In Belgium, where an annual rotation takes place between Flemish national broadcaster VRT and Walloon national broadcaster RTBF, it is now the Flemish national broadcaster’s turn to select the artist and song for the upcoming contest. The poll results indicate a distinct desire to continue the standard participation routine alongside all nations: 52% of Belgian respondents expressed explicit support for VRT’s participation in Eurovision 2027, compared to only 39.9% who opposed it and 8.1% who had not yet formed an opinion. In the weighted sample of all respondents from Belgium and the Netherlands combined, support for this step strengthens even further, with 53.3% supporting VRT taking the stage, compared to 38.7% who oppose and 8% who did not know how to respond.

The clear desire to maintain stability and avoid political precedents was also sharply reflected in the question regarding the scenario in which VRT chooses not to take part in the contest. When respondents were asked whether Walloon national broadcaster RTBF should replace it in the event of a withdrawal, Belgians rejected the idea: 48.8% of Belgian respondents voted “No”, compared to only 39.1% who supported the replacement and 12.1% who hesitated. In the overall sample, a similar trend was recorded, with 48.2% opposed versus 42.3% in favor and 9.5% without a formed opinion – evidence that the Belgian audience seeks to see the country’s natural representation without political maneuvering.

The Netherlands: Fans Grow Weary of the Boycott and Demand a Return to the Stage

In the Netherlands, where national broadcaster AVROTROS led the boycott stance and decided to skip Vienna 2026 due to the presence of Israel, the picture reflects heavy erosion in public backing for this policy. As recalled, the Dutch national broadcaster recently announced that it will not return to Eurovision 2027, putting an end to rumors of its return; however, the survey data presents a far more complex picture among Dutch fans: the proportion of those supporting AVROTROS’s participation in the next contest (41.9%) exceeds the proportion of those opposing it (41.4%), while 16.7% have not yet decided. In the combined tally of all respondents in the survey, the result is reversed: 45.6% of respondents oppose AVROTROS’s participation, compared to 39.5% support and 14.9% without an opinion.

The clearest proof that the Dutch audience is not willing to let the political boycott against Israel harm the Netherlands’ place in the contest comes from the support for replacing the national broadcaster. A clear majority of 51.2% of Dutch respondents stated that if AVROTROS refuses to return to the contest and continues the boycott, another national broadcaster from within the NPO umbrella should take the reins and ensure the country’s presence in Bulgaria. In contrast, only 38.9% opposed the move and 9.9% responded that they do not know. In the overall sample, 48.4% of respondents supported this step, compared to 41.9% opposed and 9.7% undecided.

The survey proves unequivocally that attempts to initiate boycotts surrounding Israel’s participation are met with fierce opposition from the audience and the contest’s fans themselves, who wish to return to Eurovision’s values of unity and music.