On Tuesday afternoon Sweden revealed the eight countries that will help judge Melodifestivalen — its Eurovision 2021 national final. But by Tuesday evening producers had revealed that they were dropping Belarus from the mix.
In a statement sent through its Melodifestivalen account, the broadcaster said:
“Due to the current situation in Belarus, Melodifestivalen has decided to replace Belarus as a jury group in the final. Instead, the UK will participate as one of the eight jury groups.”
Karin Gunnarsson, competition producer for Melodifestivalen, added that it had been “the wrong decision” to select Belarus as part of the international jury in the first place.
She said: “The situation for free media is very serious in the country. We have therefore chosen to replace the jury group from Belarus with a jury group from the UK.”
Due to the current situation in Belarus, Melodifestivalen has decided to replace Belarus as a jury group in the final. Instead, the UK will participate as one of the eight jury groups. https://t.co/7a6au7brW0
— Melodifestivalen (en) (@melfest_en) March 9, 2021
The international juries make up 50% of the overall score. The other 50% comes from the televote. In the event of a tie, the people’s vote decides the winner.
Why has Sweden removed Belarus’ jury now?
Sweden cites the “current situation” and a lack of media freedom. This clearly refers to the ongoing crackdown of peaceful demonstrators who continue to speak out against police brutality and President Alexander Lukashenko. You’ll remember that he was re-elected in elections that have been widely condemned by the international community, including by the European Union.
Since October 2020, the EU has progressively imposed restrictions on Belarus and levelled sanctions against people it says are “responsible for repression and intimidation” against protestors.
The Council of the European Union says: “The measures were adopted in response to the Belarusian authorities’ unacceptable violence against peaceful protesters, intimidation, arbitrary arrests and detentions, following the August 2020 presidential elections.”
“The EU does not recognise results of the Belarus elections, condemning them as neither free, nor fair.”
Today’s announcement from Sweden came just hours after Belarus’ state-run broadcaster revealed its controversial and divisive Eurovision 2021 entry.
Good move, but dissapointing that Karin was defending having the belarussian jury in the first place.
We may have 0 taste, but we have 58 points to give out in May.
I agree with the move, but changing the jury to yet another western country makes no sense if they want to have a diverse voice with the juries however. Now they have basically almost no eastern countries represented in the juries, thus giving a bad representation that could eventually showcase itself in May. Also, EBU, ban Belarusian dictatorship broadcaster this year, what are you waiting for? I mean now you’re even going to accept an entry that is openly mocking the tortured people of Belarus and ask people to enslave to the dictatorship? Don’t you have any morals EBU and… Read more »
And you’re basing that off what exactly?
Israel is far more humane than most of the Eastern European countries, as equal human rights are given to all minorities, but it is victim for biased media outlets that deliberately give them a bad name while hypocritically ignoring what’s happening in neighbouring countries.
The UN is far from being a reliable or value-driven organisation. It is overrun by many countries that exploit for their own agendas.
Anyway, I don’t want to start a political debate, and even if You’ve been right it doesn’t change Belarus’ case.
Oh MY!!! The UN is not political other than the permanent members of security council has veto that makes it almost impossible to criticise themselves. (Hmm, smells a bit like ESC….). Both Israel and Belarus violate human rights that is not a political statement.
Are the Juries formed by someone from the BBC,KAN,RUV etc of just random people from those countries
Same as in ESC: They work in the industry
Drop international jury votes to 25%.
No, why? 50 % is the fairest. That way no group get the leverage
Where SVT leads…
From your keyboard to EBU’s eyes
I get why it was but dont it make more sense to replace it with a country thats close to Belarus geographically? Cause the point with these juries is that they represent blocks, similar to ESC. With Belarus gone there is no eastern country represented which I dont think is the point.
I think SVT’s point was to put out that fire as quickly as possible. The UK answered their e-mail or call first, so the UK it is.
I really hope Dotter or Eric win!
Unlike British entries, the UK juries are really professional and almost unbiased (Georgia 2016 was so British, they totally deserved this douze-points). So taking into account their opinion is righfully justified.
*slow clap*
I can now see why they’re not picking my country, Greece as part of their jury either. The situation concerning free media has been almost as bad as in Belarus is the past few weeks. The fake news have been constant, trying to give the impression that the citizens should be blamed for everything that’s going wrong, whereas everything is the government’s fault. We are in the middle of a huge crisis, and I don’t mean the economic one (not only that one, at least)
Exactly! They blame especially the young people, because they didn’t vote them…All this police brutality has peaked during this week, but the media present a different picture because they get so much money from the government. No money for the support of the public health system, only hirings of policemen.
Seems like democracy will start dying from its birthplace…
I think people are missing the point in inviting Belarus in the first place.Sweden always invites juries from different geographical regions.
Albania/Balkans, Cyprus/Mediterranean, France/West Eu, Iceland/Scandi, Swiss/Central EU etc… Belarus was the Eastern Europe spot but they definitely could have invited Ukraine/Romania instead….
Wow. Thank you, Sweden!
Are you suggesting that Lithuanian Eurovision Professionals should be invited instead? 😀
P.s SWE invites 6 random countries each year, Not based on their performance on ESC,
I mean why didn’t Belarus just send something like what they sent to jesc this year??
An East European country replaced by UK? Good job! (sarcasm)
If only UK would know anything about ESC.
12 pts go to… Samir & Victor! A winner in my book!
good for sweden. but why was belarus invited to be a jury member nation in the first place? pretty odd choice.
anyways this is offtopic but i feel like melodifestivalen should add 1 more qualifier from andra chansen from the 7-5th place songs in the semis and whoever charts the highest is the one who goes DTF… the ultimate second chance maybe?
The got invited because they did not think clear. Then they changed their mind because of national criticism of the decision.
I literally cringed so hard on the Belarussian entry, and it didn’t help when I read the English lyrics. Thank you Sweden for doing the right thing by deplatforming Belarus off the jury panel. Now, I guess the next step is for the EBU to take action and kick Belarus out.
Also, stream VAL
Well done, Sweden! At least some countries are acting right!
?Due to the current situation in Belarus, Melodifestivalen has decided to replace Belarus as a jury group in the final. Instead, the UK will participate as one of the eight jury groups.
This year has so many songs that have equal chances. I love it. Anybody can win. Is like 2011.
For saturday I think Tusse can win but I hope the victory of the Mamas!
Me I’m not feeling Switzerland but Malta and Uk yes I’ve high hopes, but I’m already satisfied cause I’ve already 3 favourites for this Eurovision.
And let’s see Iceland…
The link of the “Council of Europe“ leads to the European Council. The Council of Europe is different from the European Council. The EC is part of the EU and the CE isn’t
What were Belarus doing there in the first place?
Judging music as music, supposedly.
Swedes tries to invite countries from all regions. Belarus was the Eastern European spot but they could have certainly invited Ukraine/Latvia etc instead
Not sure why I am reading so much hate for UK being on the jury panel. I am shocked that Belarus would of been picked as a jury vote over UK in the first place. Yes not all entries have been good, but it’s not about that. The UK has one of the best music industries in the world, let alone Europe. So I’m sure there are some pretty esteemed experts that can form a jury.
Last time we were giving jury scores at Melfest, Samir & Victor got our 12pts. I don’t think it went down so well! ?
That’s Arvingarna getting 12 points then lol.
this is the right cause. Belarus is murdering its population. It’s a dictatorship. Shpuld not be allowed to be in esc
agree, but Russia has dictatorship too and murdering own people for decades, and even worse , they annexed lands from neighbors and started war in Eastern Ukraine, killed thousands people there, it still goes btw, but nobody cares…
both shouldn’t be allowed to be in esc in that case
Eurovision is a dialogue, built on the idea that a shared cultural platform is a progressive act. That dialogue works best by including as many people and countries as possible, rather than only sharing with those select few you happen to agree with in a given moment. You could find a reason to ban every country, if you wanted to. It’s right to hold countries/people to account but it’s also necessary to have opportunities to let go of grudges and break bread and show that it’s possible to build bridges when different sides open up and come together. Imagine being… Read more »
We don’t even always need to use Russia as the example for homophobia, when only sixteen of 2021’s forty countries have marriage equality.
I was using the example Helen started with—but yes, there’s room for improvement across so many countries. The Russian political and legal context has been particularly pernicious and nasty for LGBT people though.
I was trying to agree with you…
I realise that…sorry if I seemed disagreeable Jonas…
I just…it’s not just marriage equality that’s at stake in Russia—it’s public hangings of gay men and women, it’s beatings at pride events without police support, its trans people attacked in public and no one helps them, it’s teachers being sacked for their private life, the list goes on and on.
Absolutely awful. Evil. Homophobia causes death everywhere, and needs to be gotten rid of everywhere.
What’s the origin of your profile picture, Jonas? Is it Dorian Gray?
No, it’s an Egon Schiele self-portrait – or at least part of it…
It’s a striking self-portrait, and an interesting choice for you…what about his work strikes a chord with you?
I just like how he was an obsessive non-conformist, a bit like myself. I love a lot of the colourful stuff from that time in Vienna, Gustav Klimt would be my favourite. You might consider getting a profile picture yourself…I’d tell you how if only I could remember.
This is getting too political… ESC should be about music regardless of the background. Years ago was Russia, then Australia being in was also a “problem”, then Ukraine, now Cypriots unhappy with a non religious song, Belarus politics….. Internal country issues will always exist. But EBU should keep to what the ESC is about: a song competition.
But the political issue has spilled over into the contest by Belarus themselves. Entering this incredibly cheap attempt.
This year would have been quite apolitical actually if Belarus hadn’t gone and done that to themselves.
Strange choice to pick Belarus from the very beginning. But it’s also a weird choice to pick The UK. They have only agreed with our winners once and that was John Lundvik. Should also have been a country from the east.
Lol, remember them giving Sean Banan 12 points in 2013:)
The first good step.
Hopefully the EBU follows suit, ridiculous if that cr@p makes it to Rotterdam in its current state.
i thought the song wasnt bad at first, but after reading the lyrics…
whoo boy, was i wrong
I’m trying to understand how the Swedes even included them in the jury in the beginning, given the situation in the country
one of the greatest question in eurovision culture is about the juries in melofidestivalen. Who are they? how many members they have? why some random foreigners have equal say with swedish citizens on a swedish show? i guess we ll never now
They are gathered with the same requirements as the esc-jurys and if I remember correctly, they consist of the same number of people. I once listened to a podcast with Christer Björkman where he explained that he usually pick and choose the countries every year, with the help of his contacts created throughout the years as head of deligation. I can’t quote him since it was a long time ago I listened to it, but I think he stated that most broadcasters in ESC are eager to be a part of the Mello jury, and therefore they gather qualified people… Read more »
I would say in an international jury may promote a more widely like song in Europe that would do well at at Eurovision, rather than just perform well in their native chart rankings. TIX v KEiiNO springs to mind.
The juries are there to get a hint at what could work at ESC, to balance the audience vote who is more about who Swedes wants. The criteria is the same as for ESC: 5 members coposed of people working in the business, voting on the dress rehearsal show the night before,
If we’re using “current situation” as a reason to not include a country – I’m not sure the UK are exactly the best replacement!!
hmmmm a democratic country or a dictatorship hmmmm which should i choose?
Meaning? Come on back it up
Same boring juries every year, SVT is afraid of some diversity. I think some countries were never invited to be international juries (Azerbaijan, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Hungary, San Marino…) Only neighbourly love every year from the Nordic countries and let’s not forget the Big 5 + Australia, that are tickled by Sweden every year, just to get some votes from them in the final. But guess what, the televoting will punish Sweden like usual, for all this lack of objectivity!
Believe it or not, San Marino was invited to judge back in 2011. That was a weird year because it was the same spokesperson for every country.
I kinda preferred that, rather than flying everyone to Stockholm and then pretending they’re in their own countries. I don’t know if they’re able to do that this year – I can see Lynda Woodruff giving the UK results…
Honestly, as a Norwegian, I find it highly annoying that people seem to believe that we reward Sweden every year with a lot of points as if there’s some unconditional love going on. Remember 2016 when we gave our 12 points to Italy and 0 points to Sweden? And guess what – televote doesn’t punish Sweden, people are just not voting for them, but you make it sound like people have a secret agenda and grudge for not voting for Sweden in Eurovision. And Sweden’s like the 3rd most successful country when it comes to the televote lol
Nordic countries play hardball all the time. I remember the irony of Sweden not getting 12 from Norway after they joked about it in “The Story of Eurovision.” None of the Nordic countries voted for Hatari, either, and most of them didn’t vote for Rasmussen.
I mean, there are sure voting patterns and historical voting going on, as applies for all other countries, but we don’t blindly vote for each other no matter what. And Eurovision is rather old now that I usually only take into consideration how countries have voted for, let’s say, the past 5-10 years
Here’s the link to a petition someone has started to have Belarus disqualified.
https://www.change.org/p/european-broadcasting-union-ebu-disqualify-belarus-%CC%81eurovision-entry?utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=custom_url&recruited_by_id=d8f12290-9231-0130-41a5-3c764e050729
Albania will probably give Charlotte 12 points and Arvingarna 10 points considering how they vote.
If only “Rama Rama Ding Dong” made the final, then we wouldn’t even be wondering.
The Albanian jury were so iconic… Giving Euro Neuro and the Toppers 10 points and the Social Network Song 8, and saving Fabrizio Faniello and Dervish from nul points… We have no choice but to stan
They gave Euro Neuro TWELVE POINTS
Oh dear I got that wrong! Rambo 12 and Valentina 10! Then they started voting vaguely normally. Needed some light relief after the news of the bus accident I suppose.
Then don’t send Austria. They’ll vote backwards!
Although to be fair, if there’s any country I’d worry about accidentally voting upside-down, it’d be Australia.
What does “voting backwards” mean exactly?
In the wrong order
This is just the start. Applauding for Sweden for this decision
Thanks God! #BoycottBelarus
I hadn’t even noticed. Good for them! The UK usually votes well at Melfest (I will be forever grateful to the 10 points to Arvingarna a few years back).
Although there IS a certain irony to them more or less saying, “We’ve gotta replace Belarus with a country that isn’t politically contentious in any way at the moment…I got it! The UK!”
They gave ABBA zero points, though – admittedly 47 years ago, but maybe those people are still around.
Oh, at Eurovision is a different story. The British jury’s snubbed the likes of “The Voice,” “Soldi,” and “Fuego” and they gave eight points to “The Dream.” Nobody’s perfect.
(On the other hand, they’ve also given 12 to the likes of “Midnight Gold,” “Amar pelos dois,” “Amen,” “In Love for a While,” and “Proud,” they’re second in having the best track record of picking the winner behind Israel as I recall, and their backup juries gave 12 points to “Czvet z juga” and “Senhora do mar,” which I have nothing but respect for).
If I’m remembering correctly:
UK – 1975, 1979, 1980, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2017 (Jury) (17 times – no points to the winners in 1983, 1990, 1996, 2007, 2008, or 2011. Technically, under the hybrid system, they also would’ve given 12 to Israel in 2018).
Israel – 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1989, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2014, 2016 (Jury), 2017 (Jury and Televote), 2019 (Jury) (OK, so also 17! Nifty. No points to the winners in 1992 or 2010).
In no universe did you remember this but great info nonetheless
You’d be surprised
Don’t forget 12 points to Miss Kiss Kiss Bang in 2009… Not always so accurate ?
Even Graham Norton was incredulous. And then the jury didn’t even vote for Satellite the next year.
Do we have exact results of backup juries from 2007 and 2008?
Check Wikipedia
100% true. Although the British jury vote in 2016 was as close as any jury’s ever come to being my exact top ten:
12 – Georgia
10 – Ukraine
8 – Australia
7 – Cyprus
6 – France
5 – Bulgaria
4 – Lithuania
3 – Israel
2 – Serbia
1 – Croatia
Swap in the Netherlands and Belgium for Lithuania and Croatia and that’s almost exactly my top ten.
UK has never in fact given the Mello winner any high remarks and sort of always gives 12 to the weirdest acts. Sean Banan in 2013 for example. Meanwhile Måns got 6 and Loreen the same. Something is indeed off:)
Which is funny bc they gave both Måns and Loreen 12 points at the actual contest.
So Sweden has only discovered now the political situation with Belarus ? Why have choose Belarus jury in the first place ? It’s kind of a hypocrite and opportunistic decision to manipulate the votes. Of course it has to be the UK who will vote for the most generic english songs.
Not defending Belarus of course but here it’s Sweden playing politics.
Methinks they very arbitrarily find countries from different “blocs” to vote (Balkan country, Eastern country, Western country, the host country, another Nordic country, usually but not this year one of the Baltic countries, etc). They must’ve randomly decided Belarus should be the obligatory Eastern country (although now they don’t even have that).
It could’ve just as easily been Armenia or Russia or Georgia. Not usually Azerbaijan or Moldova, though.
Yes, and they chose Belarus instead. WTF?
Those generic English-language songs like… Norrsken.
They’ve realized their mistake and made changes, good for them. I’d still like to know who these jurors actually are, especially when they have only three days notice. They have so much power.
Haha it’s not because of the awful song release today then ?!
They’re like, “if the broadcaster decides the entry, no way in hell are we trusting their taste in music.”
off-topic but australia just released their music video and it’s the Mardi Gras performance, but somehow to me it sounds so much better than what it seemed before? like, the vocal seems cleaner, not perfect, but good. it’s just weird because it didn’t sound this good before, but this doesn’t sound particularly edited to me
Maybe they used the video of the performance, but edited the studio cut in?
it didn’t sound quite like the studio version tho, it sounded live but as if it was a different live version
oh, thanks for letting me know!
Yes, that’s exactly what I thought. And on reflection, I think she does a great job considering she has no backing vocalists or pre-recorded vocals.
Well I know it’s gonna be hard with the juries but I really hoper Clara wins it. She has been gaining momentum with the public in Sweden with over 1m streams on spotify (4th overall even ahead the Mamas), but I guess the juries will drag her down when it comes to them cause it’s in Swedish but having the Swedish language in the contest would be a great addition to it! Hope she somehow wins it!
Very good . now its time for Belarus to withdraw from ESC to!
100%
Doesn’t seem very democratic
I have a feeling that “to pull a Belarus” will become my favourite saying.
Indeed!
Why does everything have to be rigged….