International song competition Eurovision makes a comeback in Vienna, 11 years following Conchita Wurst's victorious performance.
The city of Vienna, Austria, has been announced as the host of the 70th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, set to take place on May 16, 2023, at the Wiener Stadthalle. This will mark the second time Vienna has hosted the contest, following Conchita Wurst's victory in 2014.
The contest, which will also feature semi-finals on May 12 and 14, 2023, comes amidst controversy as the winner of this year's competition, Austrian singer JJ, has called for Israel's exclusion from next year's competition. This stance has sparked criticism within Austria, particularly from the far-right Freedom Party (FPOe), who have labelled the Eurovision contest as a "queer, left-wing, woke spectacle."
JJ, who won this year's competition with his song "Wasted Love," a blend of techno beats and operatic vocals, has since apologized for any misinterpretation of his comments regarding Israel's participation in the 2024 contest.
Vienna's mayor, Michael Ludwig, views Eurovision as a symbol of cosmopolitanism and peaceful coexistence. He touted the city's "enormous" accommodation capacities, "excellent" transport links, and "cosmopolitanism" as reasons for choosing Vienna to host the contest. The Wiener Stadthalle, which opened in 1958 and seats 16,000 people in its main hall, will once again play host to the event.
The contest was originally held in Basel, Switzerland, where it is reported that the city spent nearly $40 million to host the event. Pro-Palestinian activists staged protests during the 2023 contest in Switzerland due to Israel's participation.
Austria will also host the Eurovision contest in 2026, although there are no explicit statements or detailed positions from Austrian political parties regarding Israel's participation in the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 available at this time. However, Vienna's generally supportive stance towards the event and its participants, including Israel as a participating country, is suggested by the fact that Austria is hosting the contest.
The FPOe, however, has warned Vienna against becoming "a stage for anti-Semitism." During the last time Vienna hosted the Eurovision contest, traffic lights showing same-sex and heterosexual couples were installed and have since been kept permanently.
Two million people live in the Austrian capital, and Vienna pushed to host the Eurovision contest under the slogan "Europe, shall we dance?" The city is eager to showcase its vibrant culture and welcoming atmosphere to the world.
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