Pro-Palestinian protesters have planned to walk the streets of Basel “silently” to demonstrate against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.
During Tuesday’s semi-final, Canadian singer Celine Dion delivered a pre-recorded address saying she wants “nothing more” than to be in Switzerland, a country she represented and won for in 1988 with Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi.
Organisers are in “close contact” with Dion amid speculation she would make a stage return during the final on Saturday, amid her health issues.
Qualifying for the final was Ziferblat with the entry Bird Of Pray, who continue Ukraine’s streak of making it through to every grand final since the country first entered in 2003, and Sweden’s representative KAJ, who have been touted as the favourites to win with Bara Bada Bastu.
Local group Basel for Palestine urged its marchers not to make any “chants or slogans” as they walk across the city, on the anniversary of Israel’s creation as a state on May 14, 1948, on Wednesday.
The group wrote on social media: “On the eve of the Nakba day, we invite you all to join us on a silent walk through the city of Basel.”
Nakba Day remembers May 15, 1948 when some 750,000 Palestinians were displaced from their homes.
More pro-Palestinian protests are set for Saturday evening, following the weekend seeing a gathering of flags waved from the Middle Eastern country at the opening ceremony on Sunday.
Broadcasters from countries such as Spain, Ireland and Iceland have called for a discussion on Israel’s inclusion in the contest, and on Tuesday, the charity Oxfam aired an campaign video called Speak Up for Palestine on Belgian broadcaster VRT, who airs the contest in its country.
A demonstration against antisemitism has been approved by Basel police for Thursday, when Israeli singer Yuval Raphael performs in the second Eurovision semi-final along with the UK’s Remember Monday, and Ireland’s Emmy Kristiansen.
The first 2025 semi-final also saw changes from last year, including the ban on certain flags in Malmo 2024 relaxed, so Palestinian symbols being waved at Basel arena St Jakobshalle, where allowed, and were seen on broadcasts occasionally.
Last year, pro-Palestine were not allowed in Malmo, Sweden, and despite this fans smuggled them into the arena, following the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel in October 2023.
Another key difference on Tuesday was the absence of Martin Osterdahl, the European Broadcasting Union’s (EBU) executive supervisor for Eurovision, from being in the arena with the around 6,500 fans.
Instead, him along with the EBU team verified the results backstage, after briefly being seen on screen, following Mr Osterdahl being booed last year amid several controversies.
Before the qualifying acts were announced, co-hosts Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer sang a song about what has been made in Switzerland, and also appeared to reference EBU’s non-political stance, and the contest being first held there in Lugano in 1956.
Brugger sang: “And now you understand, that like the Swiss, Eurovision is non-political, strictly neutral. Doesn’t matter if you’re good or brutal, welcome gender diversity, but with decency and no nudity.”
Those who made it through to the 2025 final also included Estonia’s Tommy Cash with the silly Espresso Macchiato, Poland’s Justyna Steczkowska with her dramatic Gaja, and Iceland’s Vaeb with Roa.
San Marino’s Gabry Ponte with the catchy Tutta L’Italia, Albania’s Shkodra Elektronike with folksy Zjerm, and Portugal’s Napa with the dancey Deslocado and Norway’s Kyle Alessandro with the fiery Lighter also got to the next stage.Switzerland had not triumphed until Nemo with The Code at Malmo 2024 after Dion won in Dublin, more than three decades ago, and as a tribute to her Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi was performed in St Jakobshalle arena by previous Eurovision stars including Silvester Belt and Iolanda.
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