The European Union sharply criticised Eurovision organisers for prohibiting performers from displaying the EU flag during this year’s song contest in Basel, Switzerland, Politico reported.
While fans are permitted to wave the bloc’s emblem in the audience, artists remain barred from doing so on stage, a compromise that has failed to appease Brussels. EU Culture Commissioner Glenn Micallef lambasted the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), which oversees Eurovision, for maintaining what he called an “arbitrary and exclusionary” policy.
The European flag stands for our values, for our European identity, for inclusion — and for the citizenship of nearly half a billion people. If national flags belong on stage, the European flag does too.
Current EBU guidelines permit only national flags of competing countries in performance areas, alongside the rainbow Pride flag, a staple at past events now also restricted. The EU’s circle of stars was similarly banned at the contest in Malmö, sparking a diplomatic row.
Last year, thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered outside the Malmö arena, while Israel’s contestant, Eden Golan, faced audible boos during her performance amid the ongoing Gaza conflict.
The EBU has not publicly commented on the latest criticism, but insiders suggest the flag rules aim to avoid overt politicisation of the broadcast, watched by over 160 million viewers.
