Candidates from Latvia for participation in the Eurovision-2026 song contest in Vienna have been determined, but meanwhile, one by one, the largest participating countries are announcing their withdrawal. Recently, Iceland also made this announcement, reports tv3.
Iceland has become the fifth country to withdraw from the Eurovision-2026 contest, joining Spain, Ireland, Slovenia, and the Netherlands. The decision was made after a meeting of the board of directors of the Icelandic broadcaster RÚV on December 10 — within the deadline set by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to avoid penalties for late withdrawal.
The wave of Eurovision boycotts began in early December when organizers decided at a meeting in Geneva not to hold a vote on Israel's participation next year.
Icelandic representatives also noted that Israel's participation in the contest "raises controversies" among contestants and in society.
Is the contest, which has always stood above political conflicts and promoted unity through music, beginning to lose its essence?
However, there is no need to worry that there will be no one to sing in Vienna in May. Currently, 34 countries have expressed their desire to participate in Eurovision, including Latvia.
A complete list of participants for Eurovision-2026 is expected before Christmas.
And although five countries that participated this year have announced they will not take part in the next contest, three countries are ready to return to the Eurovision stage after a break: Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania.
Bulgaria Bulgaria has not participated in Eurovision since 2022, citing financial difficulties. Before the 2025 contest, there were mentions in some sources about the possibility of the country's return, but this did not happen. Bulgaria has previously achieved high results: 4th place in 2016 and 2nd place in 2017. In 2020, when Eurovision was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, singer Victoria was tipped for victory with her song Tears Getting Sober.
Moldova According to Manchester Evening News, the Moldovan broadcaster TRM initially planned to participate in Eurovision-2025 but ultimately withdrew, citing "economic, administrative, and creative difficulties." The country's best result is 3rd place in 2017, achieved by the group SunStroke Project. Meanwhile, the music video for the national selection for Eurovision-2025 became an internet hit. It seems that the decision to withdraw last year was a logical one for Moldova. Hopefully, this year the selection will be broader.
Romania Romania participated in Eurovision every year from 1993 to 2023, except for 2016. In 2024, the country withdrew from participation, and the contest was not even broadcast there. The reason is financial considerations. It should be noted that Romania searched for an opportunity to perform until the last moment — in 2024, the application deadline was even extended for them. However, apparently, the funds were insufficient. The country has never won, but has placed third twice. The last time was in 2010 with the song Playing With Fire and a spectacular performance featuring a burning piano played from both sides.
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