2024 Basel-Stadt Eurovision expenditure referendum
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Grand Council resolution on the authorisation of expenditure for the staging of the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2025 in Basel | ||||||||||||||||||||||
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 Results by municipality For: 50-55% 55-60% 60–65% 65–70% 70–75% 75-80% >80% Against: 50-55% 55-60% 60–65% 65–70% 70–75% 75-80% >80% | ||||||||||||||||||||||
A referendum on the approval of expenditure for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 was held in the Basel-Stadt canton in Switzerland on 24 November 2024. In August 2024, Basel was announced as the host city of Eurovision 2025, with the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt approving a CHF 37.4 million[a] expenditure in September. The Federal Democratic Union party successfully launched a signature drive to hold a referendum on the funding. Basel-Stadt voters approved the referendum, with 66.57% eventually voting in favour of granting the expenditure.
Background
[edit]The Eurovision Song Contest 2024 was won by Swiss singer Nemo with their song "The Code". On 30 August 2024, the European Broadcasting Union selected Basel as the host city for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, with the event to be held at St. Jakobshalle.[2] Simultaneously, the government of Basel-Stadt canton announced it would submit the funding proposal to the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt for approval.[3]
The Federal Democratic Union (EDU) had promised to launch referenda to potentially block funding proposals in any city that agreed to host the song contest prior to the August announcement.[4] The Grand Council approved the funding proposal, which would set aside CHF 37.464 million[a] for Eurovision, on 11 September.[1] The vote was approved with 87 in favour and 4 against, with 4 abstentions. Signature collection for the referendum began on 14 September, with 2,000 certified signatures being required by 26 October.[5] 4,203 signatures were submitted by the 26 October deadline.[6]
The EDU opposed Basel organising the Eurovision Song Contest due to its belief that Eurovision was a "propaganda event", with EDU legislator Samuel Kullmann stating that the 2024 contest was a "celebration of evil".[4][7] Particular attention was noted to that year's Irish representative Bambie Thug, with Kullman arguing Bambie Thug's performance was "overtly occult to a very, very high degree".[8] Imagery of Bambie Thug was featured prominently in the EDU's campaign.[9]
While the EDU is generally considered a minor political party, some factions of the larger Swiss People's Party (SVP) offered their support to the EDU's efforts.[4] Marcel Dettling, president of the SVP, argued that the money appropriated for Eurovision would "be better donated to those seriously affected by the storms than wasted on this embarrassing rainbow event", following extreme weather events in the summer of 2024.[8]
Within the canton of Basel-Stadt, the EDU was noted to have a minute level of support, with The New York Times reporting that fewer than 300 voters in Basel city supported the party at the 2023 Swiss federal election.[7] Members of the EDU travelled from outside the canton in order to solicit the required signatures.[6][9]
Edi Estermann, a spokesperson for the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation, stated that the referendum introduced "a certain amount of planning uncertainty", and that if it were to succeed in blocking funding, funding for the Eurovision Song Contest "would have to be greatly reduced".[7][8]
The Executive Council and Grand Council both advised a Yes vote on the referendum.[10]
Results
[edit]With a 57% turnout, 66.6% of voters supported the proposal, allowing the funding to be spent on financing the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.[11]
| Choice | Votes | % |
|---|---|---|
 Yes
|
38,186 | 66.57 |
| No | 19,172 | 33.43 |
| Valid votes | 57,358 | 96.59 |
| Empty/invalid | 2,027 | 3.41 |
| Total votes | 59,385 | 100.00 |
| Registered voters/turnout | 103,919 | 57.15 |
| Source: Canton of Basel-Stadt | ||
By municipality
[edit]All three municipalities voted in favour.
| Canton | For | % | Against | % | Total | Turnout | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basel | 32,977 | 67.49 | 15,884 | 32.51 | 50,682 | 56.26 | ||||
| Riehen | 4,925 | 61.52 | 3,080 | 38.48 | 8,200 | 62.82 | ||||
| Bettingen | 284 | 57.72 | 208 | 42.28 | 503 | 64.40 | ||||
| Source: Canton of Basel-Stadt (archive link) | ||||||||||
References
[edit]- ^ a b "Ratschlag «Durchführung des Eurovision Song Contest 2025 (ESC) in Basel» sowie Nachtragskredit für die Durchführung des Eurovision Song Con- test (ESC) 2025 in Basel" (PDF) (in German). Grand Council of Basel-Stadt. p. 12. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 September 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Basel will host Eurovision Song Contest 2025". Eurovision.tv. European Broadcasting Union. Archived from the original on 30 August 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Revill, John (30 August 2024). "Swiss choose Basel to host 2025 Eurovision Song Contest". Reuters. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
The Basel government said it would submit a funding proposal to the city's parliament for 34.9 million Swiss francs ($41.2 million) to pay for the event.
- ^ a b c Oltermann, Phillip (12 July 2024). "Swiss right seeks to block Eurovision's 'celebration of satanism and occultism'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Swiss conservative party seeks referendum against Eurovision contest". SWI swissinfo. Keystone-SDA. 16 September 2024. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ a b "Swiss ultra-conservative party hands in signatures against Eurovision 2025". SWI swissinfo. Keystone-SDA. 26 October 2024. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ a b c Marshall, Alex (30 August 2024). "Basel Will Host Eurovision Song Contest (Unless Its Taxpayers Revolt)". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 31 August 2024. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ a b c Schultheis, Emily (15 September 2024). "Switzerland's Unusual Form of Democracy Takes Aim at Eurovision". Politico. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ a b von Wyl, Benjamin (24 November 2024). Mavris, Giannis (ed.). "How Irish pop star Bambie Thug became the face of a Swiss referendum on Eurovision". SWI swissinfo. Translated by Bassam, Julia. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ "Voting statement (Darüber stimmen wir am 24. November 2024 ab.)" (PDF) (in German). Canton of Basel-Stadt. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.
- ^ Mouriquand, David (25 November 2024). "Eurovision 2025: Basel referendum validates funding amidst opposition". Euronews. Archived from the original on 11 February 2025. Retrieved 11 February 2025.