Chancellor Friedrich Merz says that if Israel is excluded from Eurovision 2026, Germany will not take part,
Euronews reports.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz is considering boycotting next year's Eurovision Song Contest if Israel is excluded.
When asked in an interview with public broadcaster ARD on Sunday whether Germany should voluntarily withdraw from participation in the world’s largest live music event next year if Israel is excluded, Merz said: “I would support this. I think it’s a scandal that this is even being discussed. Israel has a place there.”
Germany is one of Eurovision’s "Big Five" alongside France, Italy, Spain and the UK - the countries whose broadcasters are the contest's biggest financial contributors.
France has already confirmed it will be participating in next year’s contest, while Spain recently became the first of the “Big Five” to officially announce it would withdraw from next year’s Eurovision should Israel not be banned.
Other broadcasters threatening to withdraw unless Israel is banned from participating include the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia. Danish broadcaster DR has stated it will not withdraw from Eurovision if Israel competes, but did set conditions for its continued participation.
