Eurovision 2025: Basel Grand Council approved funding for Eurovision hosting!

Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is one step closer, after today’s meeting of the Grand Council of Basel-Stadt, in which, among other things, the funding for Eurovision hosting was approved.

The council approved a funding of 37.46 million CHF (40 million Euros) for the hosting of Eurovision 2025. 87 votes were counted in favour of the funding, with only four being against. A positive fact to highlight, is that all parties represented in the Cantonal Grand Council spoke in favour of funding the contest.

Net expenditure on the contest is expected to be just under 35 million CHF (37.3 million EUR), with 2.5 million CHF (2.67 million EUR) in revenues offsetting some of the cost. The 2.5 million CHF is expected to be raised from the “Arena Plus” in which, thousands of fans will watch the final of the contest at St. Jakob Park. In addition, the costs for the Euro Village will be covered by the Swisslos fund.

Der Grosse Rat bewilligt mit 87:4 Stimmen 37,46 Mio. Franken für die Durchführung des Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. Abzüglich erwarteter Einnahmen von 2,5 Mio. sieht die Regierung Ausgaben von netto knapp 35 Mio. Franken vor. #GrosserRatBS pic.twitter.com/kUCwNngFgO

— Kanton Basel-Stadt (@BaselStadt) September 11, 2024

While the announcement that the funding has been approved is a positive step towards Basel’s hosting, the risk of a possible referendum remains. The Federal Democratic Union of Switzerland (EDU) is currently campaigning to collect 2,000 signatures to hold a referendum on the funding of the competition. If EDU receives enough signatures, the issue will go to a public vote on November 24th.

A referendum will give voters the opportunity to reject the funding approved by the Council, and set the hosting in Basel at risk. The President of the Canton, Conradin Cramer, stated that this would be the worst case scenario, and that he hopes for a solution regarding the contest.

As things are now, Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is set to take place in Basel, Switzerland, on May 13, 15 and 17.

Stay tuned on Eurovisionfun for all the news regarding the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, in Basel!

Source: bazonline.ch