“It’s a paid vote. You log in, pay and vote,” says Martin Osterdahl, Executive supervisor Festival, about the new voting system. Voting for “Rest of the World” costs 99 euro cents.
Voices from around the world
The idea for the “Rest of the World Vote” arose in 2020, when Osterdal, as Executive Supervisor, organized the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in Poland, in which a total of 12 countries participated. “We were in the middle of the dark days of the pandemic,” he says. “We recorded the shows in the studio because delegates couldn’t travel.”
And then the voting part began. Osterdal saw the entry of votes from 182 countries. “And this is in a children’s show in Europe with twelve participating countries. I loved it.”
A global celebration
This made him realize that Eurovision was no longer a European party, but a global one. “It really has become a global phenomenon. Our values of inclusion, diversity, and equality are universal. That’s why I think we should involve everyone who wants to be a part of this. We should embrace that love.”
So all people from all countries of the world can vote tonight. “It operates outside the territory of the co-broadcasters,” says Osterdahl. “So if you live in a country that is in the final, you can’t use the vote.” In total, the votes will be equal to one country in terms of the number of points.
No Holland tonight
Austria will open the Eurovision Song Contest final in Liverpool tonight. Favorites Sweden, Finland and France ninth, thirteenth and sixth respectively. The final was closed by the United Kingdom. The winner of the ruling Ukraine is the nineteenth.
The Netherlands did not qualify for the Eurovision Song Contest final. This is the first time since 2015. Mia Nicolay and Dion Cooper were among the five dropouts in Liverpool’s first semi-final. The duo sang “Burning Daylight”.
