After much controversy surrounding the clarification of the rules regarding the flag policy for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) confirms in a statement that it will review the policy ahead of Eurovision 2025 in Switzerland.
Eurovision flag policy to be reviewed for Switzerland 2025
Recently, the EBU came under fire from European Commission Vice President Margaritis Schinas over an alleged ban on the display of European Union flags in the arena. In a scathing letter, Margaritis wrote:
This letter followed Dorin Frasineanu’s (policy officer with the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Party), claims that he was denied entry to the venue for carrying an EU flag. As well as Eurovision artists themselves, such as Nemo, confirming they had to hide the non-binary flag on their person in case it was taken away.
Yesterday, the EBU responded to these claims. In a statement seen by the BBC, the EBU outlined that there has never been a written ban on the EU flag. Stating that the flag policy to allow participant country and rainbow flags was more rigorously enforced this year due to the heightened tensions surrounding the contest. The flag policy will be reviewed with the next host broadcaster for Eurovision 2025 in Switzerland.
As in previous years such as 2023, SVT’s policy was to allow the flags of the participating countries and the rainbow flags. There has never been an express ban on the EU flag in the written policy.
Due to heightened geopolitical tensions, the flag policy was more rigorously enforced by security at this year’s event. We will look again at the flag policy for 2025 in conjunction with our new host broadcaster.
EBU spokesperson speaking to the BBC.
