The Swiss party Eidgenössisch-Demokratische Union (EDU) has collected signatures to call for a referendum to stop the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 from being held in Basel.
The party, which is based on Christian values, believes the event spreads “satanism and blasphemy“ and says it wants to protect the country’s youth from such influences.
On Saturday, the EDU submitted 4,203 signatures to the canton of Basel-Stadt, which is more than double the 2,000 signatures needed to make the referendum a reality.
The signatures will now be validated by the State Chancellery, and if approved, Basel residents will be able to vote on the proposal on November 24.
The main reason given for the initiative is that the event is too expensive and that taxpayers’ money should not be used to finance the music competition. The party is also opposed to the cultural and political direction they believe Eurovision represents.
Samuel Kullmann, an EDU representative who has been active in collecting signatures, explains the party’s position.
️ It’s Switzerland calling.
The small Swiss National-Conservative EDU party will push for referenda to ban any public funding for the Eurovision Song Contest.
Their main concern: the ESC would… promote satanism.
via @SRFhttps://t.co/HLy95R3C3B pic.twitter.com/ygWZyYYbGk
— François Hublet (@FHublet) July 9, 2024
Highlights security risks
He says the event opens the door to what he describes as a “satanic and blasphemous agenda” and “destructive ideas like the third gender”.
Kullmann also expresses concern about the security risks surrounding Eurovision, saying Basel could face similar unrest to the event in Malmö.
– We don’t want demonstrations here like those seen in Malmö. We want to avoid these security risks and the potential damage to our reputation, he says.
The party has sent out signature forms to households across Basel and set aside a significant amount of money to fund the initiative, which is now awaiting the State Chancellery’s review of the names collected.
Support from different quarters
Samuel Kullmann says that support has come from different parts of Switzerland, although opposition to Eurovision seems weak in Basel, the country’s third largest city, where Eurovision 2025 is due to be held.
He says that many passers-by have refused to sign with comments like “I’m not signing that”. Despite this, he remains optimistic about the possibility of creating a public debate.
– We are aware that winning a referendum is quite different from getting 2,000 signatures, but we are doing our best and are grateful for the debate this has triggered.
If the State Chancellery validates the signatures collected, Basel residents will decide on the issue on November 24. However, the EDU initiative is expected to meet resistance, as Eurovision enjoys strong support among the local population and political representatives in the canton.
– What bothers us most is the double standard. That is, Christian symbols are banned at the ESC, but satanic performances and celebrations are allowed. That doesn’t work for us, Kullmann concludes.