Eurovision Song Contest

The 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö came under exceptional pressure. Political tension around questions of participation, public protests, the unprecedented mid-contest disqualification of a participant and intense media scrutiny put the event fundamentally to the test. Among younger audiences in particular, the response went as far as open calls for a boycott. The question at the centre was whether a global live event remains viable to stage in a polarised environment, and whether it can keep its appeal for the next generation.

The ESC Reference Group is the governing board of the Eurovision Song Contest. On behalf of the EBU members it decides on format, rules and financing, and acts as the final authority in a crisis. Bakel Walden chaired the body through this period, working closely with the EBU leadership.

Immediately after Malmö, the EBU leadership and Bakel Walden commissioned an independent external review of events. Building on its findings, the Reference Group, under Bakel Walden’s leadership, took ownership of the reform programme for Basel 2025.

Four decisions stood at its core:

• a structural review of what had happened in Malmö
• a binding Code of Conduct for everyone accredited
• a new Welfare Manager function to protect the artists and the team
• the introduction of the newly created role of ESC Director

In doing so, in the middle of a crisis, the Reference Group became what it is meant to be: the body that resolves conflicts rather than just debating them.

The reforms were fully embedded in the operational structures before ESC 2025. For the first time, clear structures were in place for handling a crisis:

• defined roles across the Reference Group, the EBU leadership and the Host Broadcaster
• binding escalation paths in the event of tension or an incident
• decision protocols for situations under time and public pressure

At Basel 2025, hosted by SRG SSR as Host Broadcaster, the contest ran for the first time under this new governance framework. On the ground, the SRG SSR teams delivered everything from the security and accreditation architecture through artist care to international hospitality with considerable professionalism and creativity. The standards for safety, accountability and collaboration that took shape in the Reference Group now feed into the EBU’s preparation of future live events.