Introduction to Eurovision
The Eurovision Song Contest has begun, with the second semi-finals taking place on May 17th. Before the competition week, the artists from the 37 participating countries gathered at the official opening ceremony on the stage of the St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. The event aimed to reflect the festive and integrative nature of the competition.
Disturbed Start of Eurovision
The organizers introduced a new concept for this year’s edition, replacing the traditional turquoise Eurovision carpet with a parade through the city center. The participants presented themselves on a turquoise catwalk in front of the town hall and then climbed into vintage cars and retro streams, passing along a 1.5 kilometer route to the event location. Over 100,000 spectators lined the streets, holding flags of the participating nations and LGBTQ+ Pride flags, as well as Palestinian flags and signs accusing the Eurovision of complicity in genocide.
Protests and Controversy
These protests were triggered by Israel’s participation in the song competition. The Israeli artist Yuval Raphael was booed in front of Basel Rathaus, and there were threatening gestures and attempts to stop the tram on which she was located. However, no serious incidents occurred. In contrast to the Eurovision of last year in Malmö, Sweden, only a few hundred demonstrators took to the streets, whereas thousands marched through the city center for several days.
The EBU Intervenes
To prevent similar incidents this year, the Eurovision organizer, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), required artists, members of official delegations, and journalists to sign a code of conduct to ensure respectful interaction. The code bans political statements, but the EBU respects freedom of expression as a fundamental right. However, the article about Yuval Raphael on the official Eurovision website avoids mentioning a crucial experience in her life: surviving the Hamas terrorist attack on the Supernova Festival on October 7, 2023.
Scandals and Favorites
Compared to the debate surrounding Israel’s participation, the controversy over the Estonian rapper Tommy Cash is minimal. Cash’s song "Espresso Macchiato" makes fun of general Italian clichés, annoying the vice president of the Senate, Gian Marco Centinaio. However, it is unlikely that Estonia will face sanctions. The Finnish Trio Kaj, representing Sweden, is currently the favorite to win, with their song "Bara Bada Bastu" poking fun at national self-game synchronization.
Eurovision Trends
Germany hopes that the Electro-Pop composition "Baller" by the duo Abor & Tynna will be a success. This transnational cooperation reflects a broader Eurovision trend this year: Finns fighting for Sweden, a Norwegian for Ireland, a Slovakian for the Czech Republic, and an Italian for San Marino. Another special feature of this year’s competition is the number of songs not listed in English or only partially applied, with more than half of the 37 songs in other languages.
Final Contenders
The twenty-four-year-old Miriana Conte from Malta had to change the title of her R&B style song, while Erika Vikman from Finland was asked to make her staging, costume, and choreography less sexually suggestive. The Israeli singer Yuval Raphael and the French singer Louane are also among the top contenders, with their songs "New Day Wille" and "Maman" respectively. The competition is heating up, with the second semi-finals taking place on May 17th.
