TMC, the Monegasque national broadcaster, has confirmed to ESCToday that Monaco will not participate at the forthcoming 202 Eurovision Song Contest in Italy.

Thus Monaco joins Andorra, Luxembourg and Slovakia all whom have confirmed to ESCToday that they will not return to the contest next year in Rotterdam.

TMC pulled out from the competition in 2007 and has not returned since. Eurovision fans will be disappointed to learn that the microstate has no plans of returning to Europe’s favorite television show in the near future.

Monaco in Eurovision

Monaco debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959 and has partaken in the contest 24 times. The tiny principality has won the competition once, namely in 1971 when Severine was crowned the winner in Dublin with her entry Un banc, un arbre, une rue.

The country competed in the contest religiously every year from 1959- 1979, then in 1980 it decided to withdraw from the competition and stayed out until 2004 when it decided to return when the semi-final was introduced.

Monaco competed at the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Eurovision editions and withdrew again in 2007 due to poor results and three consecutive non qualifications.