Eurovision Song Contest
Protests and disqualification: ESC final has begun
Music fans line up in front of the Malmö Arena before the start of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 final. photo
© Jens Büttner/dpa
The biggest music show in the world is on. It’s not just the criticism of the participating country Israel that stirs people’s minds. The Netherlands were thrown out of the final after a scandal.
Immediately before the final it was announced that the Dutch candidate Joost Klein had been excluded from the competition. According to the Dutch television station Avrotros, the background was an aggressive gesture by Klein towards a camerawoman who had filmed him. According to the information, he did not touch the woman. What exactly happened in the altercation is still unclear. The police have started an investigation. The Netherlands’ starting position, number 5, will now remain empty in the final.
This means there are still 25 countries in the ESC final. Germany is represented with the singer Isaak and the song “Always On The Run”. Germany is starting number 3 this year. As a commentator for German television, Thorsten Schorn will be leading the final evening for the first time in 2024. He succeeds Peter Urban, who guided the German audience through the ESC for 25 years.
The Erste and the special interest channel One have been broadcasting the spectacle since 9 p.m. Viewers can vote by phone, text message and using an app. The winner will not be announced until around 1 a.m. Sunday morning.