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As the most anticipated event of the 2016 calendar attracts ever nearer, tensions area unit running high: individuals up and down the country area unit considering and re-considering their position, reflective on our national identity, the intricacies of associate aged electoral system, our relationship with our European neighbours, and also the result’s result on the eu vote. Sorry – you thought I meant the eu referendum? No, I’m talking regarding the 61st Eurovision Song Contest.
Does Eurovision selection have something to try and do with music at all? many folks complain that some collaborating –such those in Scandinavia or the Balkans – solely vote for every alternative, and points aren’t awarded for the standard of the entry. It’s a subject United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland islanders feel particularly powerfully about: A YouGov poll in 2013 showed Britons have the strongest conviction that “it’s all political.” Sir Terry Wogan splendidly stepped down as United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland host in 2008 for this terribly reason, claiming that the event was now not a music competition.
Bonnie Tyler delineate the selection as “unbelievable” once she came nineteenth of twenty six finalists in 2013, and Simon Webbe, of 2011 United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland entry Blue, aforementioned it absolutely was “often not very regarding the song however WHO your neighbours area unit.”
Scooch, representing the united kingdom in 2007 CREDIT: ALASTAIR GRANT
A competition during which entries like Scooch and Spain’s Rodolfo Chikilicuatre gain any points the least bit is clearly not alone regarding the music.
But is it all political? every country in Eurovision splits its vote between knowledgeable jury and a public televote. It then awards ten sets of points, by drawing up a listing of their ten favorite songs – giving twelve points to the primary, ten to the second, and so eight, seven, six and then forth to the remainder.
In 2016, the method these points area unit declared has been altered, to make sure the winner isn't unconcealed before all the countries have declared their votes, however the system itself hasn’t modified.
We’ve superimposed up all the points given by every country to each alternative between 1994 and 2016 to verify WHO our real friends area unit on the continent. We've stripped out the results for Australia – WHO area unit returning in 2016 for his or her second ever Eurovision competition.
When is Eurovision 2016 and the way am i able to watch it?
How the votes break down
The Eurovision Song Contest was established in 1956 to unite European countries once the devastation of the Second war, however selection patterns appear to point out it's united some areas over others.
While these are not precisely Game of Thrones-style fighting factions, sure teams of states tend to attain every other’s acts favorably on the night, and area unit so called selection blocs.
Look, as an example, at the selection record of Belorussia. typically referred to as “Europe’s last absolutism,” it solely split from the Soviet Union in 1990.
Since then, it's awarded over doubly as several points to Russia on the other country, with virtually a 3rd of them aiming to either Russia or land. If that doesn’t sound like a lot of, keep in mind that the electoral system forces every country to unfold several of its points across fourth, seventh and tenth preferences.
Or consider the relationship between Ellas and Cyprus. Terry Wogan spoken this exchange specifically, locution it absolutely was “ridiculous. however still they are doing it. they solely do not care."
Sure enough, our information shows Cyprus has awarded virtually thrice as several points to Ellas on its second most typical preference, Russia. And Ellas has reciprocated by giving over doubly as several points to Cyprus as anyone else.
What area unit the key selection blocs?
While the precise parameters of selection blocs will vary slightly from study to review, the most ones are:
• The Balkans – the countries of former Jugoslavija, moreover as Balkan state and Albania.
• the previous Soviet Union and its satellite states in jap Europe
• Scandinavia – This includes the most Nordic nations moreover as Iceland, Republic of Lithuania Scandinavian nation and Baltic State. Would ABBA are quite therefore prosperous if they couldn’t believe points from European country and Norway?
