The conservative UDF party is collecting signatures to force a referendum in Basel against Eurovision funding, but reports indicate low public interest in signing the petition.
In July, it was reported that the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU/UDF) announced its intention to demand referendums against the funding of Eurovision 2025 by municipalities or cantons comprising the local government in Switzerland. In September, we reported on the party’s preparations to collect signatures to enable a national referendum.
To force a referendum in Basel, the EDU/UDF needs to collect 2,000 signatures by the end of October. Now, according to reports, with about two weeks left until the deadline, it appears that signature collection is stagnating, and it’s not at all certain they will reach the 2,000 signature goal.
Conservative Values vs. Eurovision Content
The EDU/UDF is one of the conservative parties in Switzerland. According to their platform, the party is “committed to traditional Christian values.” After Basel City Council approved a budget of about 40 million Euros for Eurovision, the party expressed strong opposition to what they consider a “waste of public money.”
Their biggest fear is an event similar to what occurred in Malmö 2024, where numerous anti-Israeli demonstrations took place. According to the UDF, there’s no reason for such chaos to tarnish Basel’s name and reputation.
Another reason for the conservative party’s opposition to hosting in Basel is the content presented in the contest defined as “for the whole family.” Party President Daniel Frischknecht directly referred to the performance of Irish singer Bambie Thug, who appeared with symbols and clothes associated with Satanism. “Such content, which endangers young people, should not be funded by tax money,” says Frischknecht.
Challenges in Signature Collection and Swiss Direct Democracy
As known, Switzerland’s system of government is unique and different from any other country, with referendums holding significant and distinctive value. Citizens participate directly in the legislative process through referendums. Additionally, citizens can, by their signature, demand a referendum to repeal a law or propose a new one.
Frischknecht confirms that the signature collection process is ongoing but refuses to answer how many signatures have been collected so far. According to reports, the party is struggling to reach the goal of 2,000 signatures. Beyond the challenge of collecting many signatures in a relatively short time, the problem lies in the fact that many Basel residents are currently on autumn vacation in Switzerland and not at home.
If they reach 2,000 signatures, the referendum is expected to take place as early as November 24, but as mentioned, it’s not at all certain they will reach their goal.
This news is somewhat surprising. According to the report, a survey of 25,000 participants in Switzerland found that 49% of respondents fully or partially oppose hosting the competition, so it could have been expected that many would sign the UDF petition.
It’s important to note that even if the referendum takes place and the budget is rejected, Eurovision will still be held in Basel. However, all accompanying events, such as the Eurovision village, will not happen.
Source: Blick
Eurovision 2025: The 69th Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15, and 17, 2025. The St. Jakobshalle arena, which will host the competition, is expected to accommodate about 12,000 spectators for each show. The contest will take place in Switzerland following the country’s third historical win with the song “The Code”, performed by singer Nemo. This will be the third time the competition has been hosted in Switzerland, after the contest was held there in 1956 and 1989.