Eurovision, a formidable instrument of diplomacy – Liberation

2023-05-12 21:06:02

With some 200 million viewers, the European song contest is not just a glitzy musical show, but a coveted political platform, which is well illustrated by the example of Ukraine, winner in 2022.

Volodymyr Zelensky wanted to intervene on video during the Eurovision final on Saturday, and who would be surprised? He is at home here, as Ukraine understood very early on this formidable geopolitical instrument – ​​incidentally also a musical show – that is the Eurovision Song Contest. “Our courage impresses the world, our music conquers Europe”, had thus reacted the Ukrainian president the day after the victory of Ukraine last year, whose representatives “Kalush Orchestra” had capped everyone at the post with their unsurpassable total of 631 points. Less impressed but more objective, the criticism of Release greeted “a strange combo around a fake Eminem in a pink angora wool bob flanked by a typical singer playing a typical flute” whose service consisted of “an aggregate of anything Kamoulox style, three minutes that eat fifteen racks, jumps in all directions and a rotating double bass”. Winner of Eurovision three times, Kyiv could not host the competition this time under the bombs of Putin. It is the United Kingdom which therefore ensures the organization and Liverpool will be decked out in the colors of Ukraine on Saturday.

Politics will of course be very present: 200 million viewers on average, more than 70% audience in some of the participating countries, Eurovision is a highly coveted political and tourist platform. An appointment that we do not miss at the Elysée, according to Stéphane Bern: “Emmanuel Macron sends me text messages when he is in front of his TV on the evenings of the final”, he revealed to Freed. But lo and behold, the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, refused to let Zelensky speak to the public: “One of the pillars of the competition is the non-political nature of the event”, explains the press release. White lie, which does not deceive anyone: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the decision, adding that the values ​​defended by Zelensky in the face of the Russian invasion “are not political but fundamental”. Like Eurovision.