The referendum in Basel on funding Eurovision events will take place this Sunday, November 24, deciding whether the city will continue preparations as planned or if the competition will proceed in a more limited format this year.
This Sunday, November 24, Basel will hold a referendum on the Eurovision budget. The referendum holds significant influence over Basel’s hosting of Eurovision 2025. It follows an unexpected development in which the Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU/UDF) succeeded in gathering enough signatures to initiate a referendum that could jeopardize the planned auxiliary events for Eurovision in Basel this year.
In Switzerland, citizens participate directly in the legislative process, enabling a party to call for a referendum if sufficient public support is demonstrated. As early as July, the EDU/UDF, in collaboration with the Federation of German Taxpayers, demanded a referendum against funding Eurovision 2025 through municipal or cantonal budgets in Switzerland.
The EDU/UDF, known as a conservative Christian party, opposes Eurovision events, perceiving them as contradictory to the values it upholds. Consequently, it has taken it upon itself to prevent the competition from taking place in Switzerland. They argue that Eurovision represents a misuse of public funds. Moreover, citing incidents following Eurovision in Malmö, they allege an increase in antisemitic incidents, alongside so-called “satanic” and supernatural occurrences during the event itself.
In September, the Basel City Council approved a €40 million budget for hosting the competition, a move that galvanized Eurovision opponents. The final deadline for submitting the referendum petition was at the end of October, requiring 2,000 signatures. Ultimately, no fewer than 4,203 residents signed the petition. The referendum itself will be held this Sunday, November 24. Should the referendum approve funding, Basel’s city council can proceed with competition preparations. However, a rejection would pose a significant challenge to the Swiss organizers.
It is essential to note that hosting Eurovision is widely regarded as a valuable opportunity to boost the local economy and tourism. Despite the high production costs of such a large-scale event, many host cities have successfully profited economically. Businesses across Basel stand to benefit from the influx of tourists that Eurovision typically attracts.
In an interview with Swiss organizers’ public relations manager Edi Estermann, speculation arose about potential consequences if the budget is denied. Suggestions include canceling the two semifinals and reverting to the older format with only a grand final. It is also estimated that the security budget might face cuts, potentially leading to the cancellation of events across large areas of the city to reduce costs.
Estermann noted that moving the competition to another city is theoretically possible but would be highly impractical given that much of the groundwork has already been laid, with only 178 days remaining until the grand final. Such a scenario, however, remains highly unlikely. It is anticipated that Eurovision will remain in Basel, even if organizers need to devise creative solutions to address budget shortfalls. With 37 countries confirmed to participate, canceling the semifinals seems infeasible. The EBU is expected to find ways and funds to ensure the competition proceeds as planned.
Nonetheless, a lack of funding could necessitate reevaluating and scaling down auxiliary events tied to the competition. For example, Eurovision Village, Eurovision Street, and the Arena Plus may be affected. Similarly, ambitious plans for the longest turquoise carpet in history might be replaced with a more modest alternative. Despite these challenges, let’s hope Basel hosts Eurovision 2025 in grand fashion as intended.
Source: Expressen.
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.
