Published12. October 2024, 5:12 p.m
Basel: He wants to prevent the ESC loan: Yawning emptiness at the EDU stand
The right-wing religious party EDU wants to prevent the loan for the Eurovision Song Contest. She is collecting signatures in Basel. How does the population feel about this?
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The EDU party wants to get 2,500 signatures for a referendum within two weeks.
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She wants to prevent the loan that the Grand Council granted the canton.
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At a stand campaign in Basel she has difficulty getting people to sign.
“Stop ESC in Basel-Stadt!” is written on leaflets placed on a table at Barfüsserplatz in Basel and: “We say: No! Sign the referendum now!” Samuel Kullmann, member of the EDU Switzerland management team, is on site. A right-wing religious niche party. For two weeks she is collecting signatures against the loan of 35 million francs. The Grand Council of the Canton of Basel-Stadt spoke in favor of the event. How is the EDU campaign being received in Basel, a left-green city?
“I would never sign it”
An on-site inspection shows that the signature collectors have difficulty finding like-minded people. “I think it’s stupid that signatures are being collected for a referendum,” says a passer-by. And another: “I would never sign it.” Even those who aren’t particularly enthusiastic about the event say: “I don’t think much of the ESC, but it’s stupid not to hold it when the opportunity is there.”
Tax money is also spent on many other “unnecessary” things, so why not on the song contest, says one woman. And another adds: “The ESC doesn’t necessarily have to be in Basel, but you don’t have to collect signatures against it.”
The former Grand Council President Markus Ritter happened to be there and observed the stand action: “They won’t even get the referendum through,” he suspected.
20min / manuela humbel
Markus Ritter, former President of the Grand Council, happened to be there in a café. He observes the scene behind his coffee and says: “They are standing their ground. When I watch that, I don’t think they can get enough signatures for a referendum.”
One of the most difficult political tasks
Kullmann himself admits that it is very difficult to find citizens to sign on a Saturday. It was one of the most difficult actions of his political career. Nevertheless, he is confident and emphasizes that most of the signatures do not come from such stand actions but from the private environment or forms that the party has sent to households. In general, the signature collection is going well and he is motivated.
He does not want to reveal how many signatures the party has collected so far. The next, probably last, stand action is planned in a week in Riehen. He admits that he doesn’t believe that the visit to the community will bring about a major change, but it is important to show presence and collect a “reserve” of signatures.
Opponent doesn’t believe in referendum himself
When you visit the stand campaign on Saturday lunchtime, you will also find two people who support the EDU campaign. One man has signed, another would like to if he were from Basel. The second says: “I think it’s nonsense that they’re bringing this to Basel. This is a circus.” The arguments of opponents are often that the contest is no longer the same as it was many years ago. He is political and no longer revolves around music.
A signature collector brings the Bible into play and says the event is satanic. She is targeting Irish singer Bambi, who wore horns and flirted on stage with a person portraying the devil during her May 2024 performance. She also criticizes “all the gender stuff” and is probably alluding to Nemo. The person who won the last ESC and, as a nonbinary person, breaks conservative social patterns.
One person who signed the referendum says he doesn’t believe it will happen. The people in Basel are too left-wing and too liberal.
Kullmann and his team are collecting signatures until October 26th. If they bring together the necessary 2,000, then the referendum can be voted on as early as November 24th.
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