In a context of geopolitical conflict within Europe, the Eurovision Song Contest this year takes on a highly symbolic character. The song “Stefania”, from the Ukrainian group, is also given as a winner for 42% of bookmakers.
The song “Stefania” by the five rappers of the Kalush Orchestra, who will represent Ukraine, is a mixture of rap and traditional music.
While the competition will take place in two weeks to the day, the eurovisionworld.com site indicates that Ukraine has a 42% chance of winning. A much higher percentage than its main competitors this year, which are Italy (14%), with the duo Mahmood and Blanco, and Sweden (10%), represented by 30-year-old pop singer Cornelia Jakobs. France, which designated the Breton group Alvan and Ahez, comes in 13th position in the hills.
Benoît Blaszczyk, secretary of France-Eurofans, the French branch of the General Organization of Eurovision Fans (OGAE), indicates that in addition to their sympathy capital due to the conflict with Russia, Ukrainians will be able to count on their artistic talent to win: “whatever happens, they have a good song and every year Ukraine, avant-garde, is very watched”.
EUROVISION AND GEOPOLITICS, AN INSEPARABLE DUO
The spectators will have noticed it, geopolitics is regularly invited in the votes of Eurovision. Marked by the Russian invasion in Ukraine, the 2022 edition should be no exception. “The public will surely show strong support for Ukraine, but that doesn’t mean it will win,” said Dean Vuletic, a researcher at the University of Vienna and author of books on the geopolitics of Eurovision. “In 1993, Bosnia and Croatia did not finish very high.”
Similarly, pre-competition forecasts have never been very reliable on the final identity of the winner. Turkey (2003), Russia (2008) or even Israel (2018) had each created a surprise by beating the favorite nations of Ireland, Sweden, the Netherlands or the United Kingdom. According to a vote of 4,400 OGAE fans, Ukraine only comes in 11th, while Sweden is the winner. Enough to spare the suspense while waiting for the big evening in Turin. As a reminder, Russia was excluded from the competition.
The 66th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest will take place on Saturday May 14, at the Pala Alpitour in Turin.