- Conservative against Eurovision Song Contest in Switzerland
Two months after Switzerland's victory at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC), there is resistance against hosting the Mega-Event 2025 in Switzerland. "The Eurovision Song Contest is a disgusting propaganda event", criticizes the conservative-Christian party EDU in X. The party intends to prevent the use of tax money in all cities that have applied for the event, through a popular vote, by collecting 2000 signatures in each city.
"I believe there is criticism from these circles due to the perception of this event as a queer event", says Thomas Widmer, a political scientist from Zurich, to SRF.
Nemo, non-binary
Nemo, a non-binary person, won the contest for Switzerland this year and advocates for the recognition of a third gender in official documents in Switzerland, as in Germany and other countries. Non-binary people do not see themselves represented in the categories "Female" or "Male".
Challenging assumptions
"On a national level, these progressive movements, such as the queer movement, can challenge many assumptions of the national understanding, which is why there is a tension here", Widmer said.
The EDU criticizes that the ESC fuels discussions about gender identity. The EDU is a small party, it has only two representatives in the national parliament. However, the Federation of Taxpayers and some local branches of the strongest party SVP also express opposition to the ESC.
Geneva, Basel, Zurich, Bern
Geneva, Basel, Zurich and Bern have applied to host the event. Bern plans to organize the event in cooperation with Nemo's hometown Biel. All possible host cities offer financial support, but also expect income for the local economy and advertising for their location. Zurich, for example, has announced a million-credit. The decision will be made at the end of August, and the event is planned for May 2025.
The conservative-Christian party EDU in X is aiming to prevent the use of tax money for hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in any city that has applied, through a people's vote and collecting 2000 signatures in each city. Thomas Widmer, a political scientist from Zurich, believes the resistance against the contest stems from its perceived status as a queer event, which challenges many assumptions of the national understanding. Geneva, Basel, Zurich, and Bern are among the cities that have applied to host the 2025 event, each offering financial support and expecting economic benefits. Nemo, the non-binary winner of the 2022 contest for Switzerland, advocates for the recognition of a third gender in official documents in Switzerland as is done in Germany and other countries. The EDU criticizes that the Eurovision Song Contest fuels discussions about gender identity, a point also raised by the Federation of Taxpayers and some local branches of the SVP, the strongest party in Switzerland. The European Song Contest, or ESC, was won by Switzerland two months ago, and the city chosen to host the event will be announced at the end of August, with the contest scheduled for May 2025. The controversy around the contest, including its perceived queer nature and perceived use of taxpayer money, has led to substantial debate within the Swiss media and political circles, with the controversy gaining particular attention on Swiss television.
