The European Union (EU) officially sent a complaint to the broadcaster of the Eurovision song contest on Monday, after participants were banned from waving the blue flag with 12 golden stars during the final on Saturday.
“Such actions cast a shadow over what is supposed to be a joyful moment for people across Europe,” European Commission Vice-President Margaritis Schinas wrote to the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). . “As the EU is targeted by malicious and authoritarian actors, the EBU’s decision has contributed to discrediting a symbol that brings all Europeans together,” he added.
“Inconsistency”
Margaritis Schinas asked the broadcaster to “explain the reasons behind this decision and assign responsibility”. “The inconsistency of the EBU’s position has left me and millions of viewers wondering what the Eurovision Song Contest is and who it is for,” he wrote. .
The Swiss Nemo became on Saturday the first artist claiming to be non-binary to win the competition, during a 2024 edition marked by controversies, in particular over the participation of Israel, in the midst of the war in Gaza. Organizers banned all flags other than those of participating countries, but Nemo displayed an emblem representing non-binary people during the competition.
A flag authorized at the Olympics
The 12-star flag of the EU (27 members) is frequently raised by member states alongside theirs in public buildings or during official events. This same flag is also that of the Council of Europe (46 members). The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has authorized the presence of the flag on venues and during award ceremonies during the next Summer Olympic Games in Paris.