So a few were last in Copenhagen in 2014: only 37 countries will take part in the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool. That was announced on Thursday. The ESC is organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and the BBC.
The host country is actually the Ukraine, but because of the Russian war of aggression against the country, the ESC will be held in England. Like the countries of the Big Five, i.e. Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom, Ukraine will go straight to the final. All other countries still have to sing their way through one of the semi-final competitions.
Australia is at it again
North Macedonia, Bulgaria and Montenegro will not participate. The federal states cannot finance the high participation costs. As North Macedonia’s public broadcaster announced in an Instagram post, the reason for this was the economic and energy crisis. In 2022, the three countries still took part in the ESC.
Nations like Monaco, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovakia, Andorra, Hungary and Turkey will also not be on the stage. Turkey has not taken part in the music competition since 2013, among other things to protest the voting process, because of the Big Five rule and because of Conchita Wurst’s performance and victory in 2014.
Australia, on the other hand, will perform in Liverpool in 2023. The country made its ESC debut back in 2015. However, debuts are not expected at the upcoming ESC. Belarus and Russia are still suspended from the EBU and excluded from the music competition.