Eurovision Stemme - News Insights

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Eurovision Voting Explained

The Eurovision Song Contest voting system has evolved considerably since its inception in 1956, but the core principle remains: to determine the best song through a competitive and transparent process. Understanding how “stemme” – the act of voting – works is crucial to appreciating the excitement and drama of the contest.

Currently, a two-pronged voting system is in place, comprised of national juries and public voting (televoting and online voting). Each contributes 50% to the final score. This hybrid approach aims to balance expert opinion with popular appeal.

National Juries

Each participating country assembles a professional jury consisting of five members. These individuals must be music industry professionals, such as singers, songwriters, producers, or radio DJs. Critically, they must not be connected to any of the competing entries, ensuring impartiality. Jurors evaluate each song based on several criteria, including vocal performance, composition, originality, stage presence, and the overall impression of the act.

After the second dress rehearsal (the “Jury Final”), the jury members independently rank all the songs (except their own country’s). The individual rankings are then aggregated to produce an overall jury ranking for each country. These rankings are then converted into points awarded from 1 to 8, then 10, and finally 12 points to their top ten favorite entries.

Public Voting

Public voting opens immediately after the last song of the Grand Final is performed. Viewers in each participating country can vote for their favorite songs via telephone (televoting) or SMS. Many countries also offer online voting platforms.

Crucially, viewers cannot vote for their own country’s entry. This rule prevents strategic voting and encourages support for other nations’ songs. Public votes are tallied within each country, and the top ten songs receive points, following the same 1-8, 10, and 12-point system as the jury votes.

Combining Jury and Public Votes

Once both the jury and public votes are collected, they are combined to determine the overall score for each song from each country. The spokesperson from each participating country announces their jury’s top twelve, adding to the suspense. The public vote results are then revealed collectively by the hosts, usually starting with the countries receiving the fewest points and building to the coveted “douze points” (12 points). This process continues until all countries have awarded their points.

The Winner

The song with the highest combined score at the end of the voting process is declared the winner. This song’s performing country will then have the honor of hosting the following year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

Potential Issues and Changes

The Eurovision voting system has not been without its controversies. Accusations of bloc voting (where neighboring countries consistently vote for each other) and vote trading have surfaced over the years. The European Broadcasting Union (EBU), the organization responsible for Eurovision, continuously reviews and adjusts the voting rules to address these concerns and maintain fairness. They have previously implemented measures like preventing jury members from voting for songs they helped create and introducing separate public voting announcements.

Ultimately, “stemme” in Eurovision is a complex but crucial aspect of the contest. It represents a blend of professional assessment and public opinion, contributing to the enduring appeal and excitement of this iconic event.