Eurovision News 
Spain 
RTVE, the Spanish national broadcaster has released a statement regarding Spain’s participaiton at the forthcoming Eurovision Song Contest 2027 in Burgas, Bulgaria.
RTVE’s Director Jose Pablo Lopez has announced today that he will propose RTVE’s Board of Directors to maintain Spain’s withdrawal from the Eurovision Song Contest for the consecutive year due to Israel’s participation in the contest. Hence if RTVE’s Board of Directors ratifies this recommendation, we will not see Spain returning to the contest next year either.
RTVE’s statement reads:
The president of RTVE, José Pablo López, has announced that he will propose to the Board of Directors of the public corporation that the suspension of participation in Eurovision be maintained for the next edition in 2027 .
This was announced by López in his regular appearance before the parliamentary control committee of RTVE, in which he was asked by Francisco Sierra of Sumar, about the responses of the EBU to the genocide of the Palestinian people.
José Pablo López recalled that throughout this year RTVE, along with other major European public broadcasters, has led a call for ethical reform within the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) . He also stated that RTVE has pressed “firmly” for stricter governance rules, penalties for any attempt at political manipulation, and guarantees of the strict neutrality of sponsorships and the festival itself.
Jose Pablo Lopez (RTVE Director) says:
We have negotiated to strengthen governance rules, to effectively penalize any attempt at political manipulation, and to guarantee the strict neutrality of sponsorships and the festival itself. These are issues that have been achieved thanks to the negotiations of the RTVE group.
RTVE’s statement continues to read:
However, he said that reality should not be glossed over with euphemisms because he is aware that not all the objectives have been achieved and that it is “deeply painful” that, despite everything, Israel’s public broadcaster will continue to participate in the competition.
Therefore, he believes that a “complacent assessment” is not possible because, while acknowledging technical progress, he also points out “a clear ethical shortcoming.” Consequently, he has announced that he will propose to the Council that RTVE’s participation in the festival remain suspended.
In his address, the president of RTVE stated that “no one with even the slightest human sensitivity can witness the suffering of the Palestinian people without a resounding and severe condemnation of what is an intolerable human tragedy.” In this regard, José Pablo López emphasized that RTVE’s position on this matter has “always” been “firm” and “quite clear.” “We haven’t remained silent, so to speak,” he stressed.
