JJ, representing Austria with “Wasted Love”, winner of the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, holds the trophy during the Grand Final, in Basel, Switzerland, May 18, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Denis Balibouse

Several European countries have expressed their opinions in recent days about efforts to boycott next year’s Eurovision song contest if Israel takes part in the international competition.

Germany’s Culture Minister Wolfram Weimer on Saturday criticized those threatening to pull out of the 2026 Eurovision contest if Israel takes part.

“Eurovision was founded to bring nations together through music. Excluding Israel today goes against this fundamental idea and turns a celebration of understanding between peoples into a tribunal,” Weimer said in a statement. “It’s precisely because Eurovision was born on the ruins of war that it should not become a scene of exclusion. Eurovision is based on the principle that artists are judged on their art and not on their nationality. The culture of cancellation is not the solution — the solution is diversity and cohesion.”

Meanwhile, Poland’s culture minister said she hopes her country will not participate in the 2026 Eurovision if Israel is allowed to join the event. “I believe we should not participate in Eurovision if Israel is taking part. This is my personal opinion,” the minister told the radio station TOK FM on Friday.

The next Eurovision is taking place in Vienna, Austria, in May 2026. Sepp Schellhorn, a senior foreign ministry official in Austria, told the daily Kurier that cultural boycotts are “dumb and pointless.” Over the weekend, the country’s Foreign Minister Beate Meinl-Reisinger expressed concerns about the boycott efforts against Israel in a statement shared on X. Meinl-Reisinger revealed that she wrote to colleagues in Europe about how such boycotts create division and will not improve the situation in Gaza.

“The Eurovision Song Contest is a symbol of peace, unity, and cultural exchange – not an instrument for sanctions,” Meinl-Reisinger wrote in a post on X. “It concerns me that some countries are now considering boycotting the 70th #ESC in Vienna due to Israel’s participation. Therefore, I have written a letter to my European colleagues with the appeal to promote the important exchange through art and culture and to jointly find ways to actually improve the situation in Israel and Gaza.”

In her letter, cited by Reuters, the minster wrote that excluding Israel from the Eurovision or pulling participation because of Israel’s involvement “would neither alleviate the humanitarian crisis in Gaza nor contribute to a sustainable political solution.”

“Such a rift would only deepen the discord and preclude opportunities for important dialogue between artists and the public – without improving the situation on the ground in Israel and Gaza,” Meinl-Reisinger added.

Spain previously said it would boycott next year’s Eurovision if Israel participated, following similar threats made by the Netherlands, Ireland, Slovenia, and Iceland.

Austrian singer JJ won this year’s competition in Basel, Switzerland, with his song “Wasted Love.” He has also called for Israel to be banned from the 2026 contest.