– If not, we can only organize a smaller version of the grand final and without any side events, Edi Estermann, press officer for the Swiss organizer, told TT.
After artist Nemo won this year’s singing competition in Malmö in May, Switzerland – and the city of Basel – will host next year’s competition.
Read also: Kisses, hiccups and stage storms: Do you remember those Eurovision scandals?
But Switzerland has a direct democratic system. Now the right-wing Christian party EDU has called for a referendum to stop the financial support of the local area, the canton of Basel, for the event.
DKK 450 million
If the citizens of Basel say “no” when they go to the polls on Sunday, there will be serious consequences. The canton has agreed to provide financial guarantees worth 37.5 million Swiss francs, equivalent to just over NOK 460 million.
Without this money, it will be difficult to carry out the event as it is today. Among other things, the two semi-finals must be scrapped in order for the head-to-head to meet.
– Instead of a ten-day festival, there will be one TV broadcast on Saturday evening, without side activities and therefore of no less value for the city and for all of Switzerland, Estermann explains.
Hard to move
All the other political parties in Basel support the plans for the Eurovision Song Contest, so most experts believe that the 2025 contest will go ahead as usual.
But public opinion is difficult to gauge, and according to the Basler Zeitung, EDU has collected more than twice as many signatures as needed to request a referendum.
The agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) makes it possible to move the competition to another city in Switzerland, but a lot of preparations have been made in Basel and there are only 178 days left until the final last day
The EBU says in a written statement that they will not comment on the referendum because it is a “local issue”.
2024-11-20 07:27:00
#Eurovision #Switzerland #Eurovision #final #threatened #referendum
Welcome to World Today News. Today, we have with us two guests to discuss the ongoing issue regarding the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland. First, we have Edi Estermann, press officer for the Swiss organizer, and secondly, we have a representative from the right-wing Christian party EDU, which has called for a referendum to stop the financial support of the local area, the canton of Basel, for the event.
Interviewer: Edi, can you please provide us with an update on the current situation regarding the Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland? What are the plans for the event, and how has the response been from the citizens of Basel?
Edi Estermann: Sure, as of now, Basel is still preparing to host the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest as per the agreement with the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). The local government and the people of Basel are very much looking forward to welcoming participants and visitors from all over Europe for the event.
Interviewer: Thank you, Edi. Now, could you please introduce our second guest, the representative from EDU?
Second Interviewer: Our second guest is a representative from the right-wing Christian party EDU, which has called for a referendum to stop the financial support of the local area, the canton of Basel, for the Eurovision Song Contest. Can you please explain why your party has taken this stance?
Representative from EDU: We feel that the money being spent on the Eurovision Song Contest could be better allocated towards more pressing local issues, such as healthcare and education. The financial guarantees provided by the canton of Basel are significant, and we believe that they could be put to better use elsewhere.
Interviewer: That’s an interesting perspective. Edi, how do you respond to this concern raised by the EDU?
Edi Estermann: We understand the EDU’s concerns about the use of public funds, but we would like to emphasize that the Eurovision Song Contest is not just a cultural event; it also has significant economic benefits for the city and the entire country. The event attracts tourism and media attention, which can boost the local economy.
Second Interviewer: Could you please provide some figures regarding the expected economic impact of the Eurovision
