VRT, the Dutch-language Belgian national broadcaster, have announced they will not send a commentary team, to the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, in Vienna.

VRT have confirmed that they will not send commentary or content creation teams to Vienna, for the 2006 Eurovision Song Contest. Peter Van de Veire, who has been the VRT Eurovision commentator since 2014, will provide commentary from VRT Studios in Brussels. However, VRT NWS, will send journalists to cover the Contest for their news reporting. The announcement from VRT follows a call for WITHDRAWAL from the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, from the broadcasting trade unions. VRT have released the following statement:

“With this approach, VRT aims to fulfil its role in a democratic society: not as a gatekeeper that decides what the public can and cannot see, but as a reliable guide that helps people understand what is going on, why it is sensitive and what questions it raises.

Within the EBU, VRT has repeatedly and explicitly criticised the way in which the Eurovision Song Contest is organised today. VRT advocates for an event that makes more room for solidarity, connection and peace. The broadcaster believes that the EBU does not take sufficient account of the social context and the sensitivities that exist among a large part of the public. VRT is thus taking the same critical stance towards the EBU as a number of other Western European countries that are not participating but are broadcasting the event.”

Let us know what you think about Belgium and the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest – either in the comments below or on our FACEBOOK, BLUESKY, TWITTER, YOUTUBE, INSTAGRAM and TIKTOK pages.

The Eurovision Community, which Eurovision Ireland are a part of, celebrates diversity through music. Please keep your comments respectful. We will not tolerate racism, sexism, ableism, homophobia, transphobia, body-shaming or any other derogatory or hostile language.

Author: Richard Taylor

Source: Eurovoix