Eurovision week kicks off with sunny parade and protests

The city in the Rhine region of Switzerland, located on the border between Germany and France, is pulling out all the stops by hosting the 69th edition of the world's largest live televised music event, watched by nearly 160 million viewers.

While Europop rhythms, spectacular staging, and galvanizing choruses dominate the party, the geopolitical context is never far away, with a demonstration organized against Israel's participation, while the war in Gaza intensifies.

As the parade began in front of Basel's iconic 500-year-old City Hall, a dozen Palestinian flags were waved in the crowd, one hanging above a rainbow flag, alongside a banner reading: "Israel: Open Gaza's borders. Let aid in."

"Heart of Europe"

Eurovision celebrates kitsch, and flamboyant outfits were in full force as participants from all 37 competing countries took part in the parade.

Switzerland hosted the very first edition of Eurovision in 1956, and again in 1989.

"The moment we've been waiting for has finally arrived. The stage is set. The excitement is palpable, and the entire city is vibrating with a unique and powerful energy," said Conradin Cramer, President of the Canton of Basel-Stadt.

"Eurovision is the most revolutionary Swiss invention after the pocket knife, the zipper and Bircher muesli," he joked.

"Basel, located in the heart of Europe, is the ideal place to bring people together through music," he added, before officially declaring Eurovision 2025 open.

Parades and demonstrations

Vintage trams and buses transported the artists along the "turquoise carpet" route - the longest in Eurovision history at 1.3 kilometers.

Eurovision fans along the route melted into the festive atmosphere under the bright sunshine.

The parade, accompanied by percussionists, carnival bands, marching bands, alphorn players, and techno DJs, crossed the Rhine via the Mittlere Bridge and ended in the "Eurovision Village" fan zone.

This year's Israeli representative is Yuval Raphael. She survived the October 7, 2023, attack in Israel that sparked the war in Gaza by hiding under bodies during a Hamas attack on a music festival, killing hundreds.

The 24-year-old says she hopes her song "New Day Will Rise" will carry a message of healing and solidarity.

As he left City Hall, Yuval Raphael greeted the crowd, blew kisses and posed for photographers, waving the Israeli flag.

Several Palestinian flags were also visible along the route. A flag-waving protester who entered the parade route was restrained by police.

One person held a sign that read: " No applause for genocide." Another read: "We sing while Gaza burns."

Switzerland is hosting the event after Swiss artist Nemo won Eurovision 2024 in Malmö with his deeply personal song "The Code," which explores his discovery of his non-binary gender identity.

Nemo joined calls for Israel's exclusion.

"I support the call for Israel's exclusion from the Eurovision Song Contest," he told The Huffington Post news website.

"Israel's actions fundamentally contradict the values ​​that Eurovision claims to defend - peace, unity and respect for human rights," he said.

Sweden and Austria in the lead?

The semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday will see 11 countries eliminated, leaving 26 nations to compete in the final on Saturday.

Sweden is the clear favorite with the band KAJ, who offer a humorous song about the joys of the sauna, carried by accordion chords and a catchy chorus.

Austrian JJ is the second favorite with "Wasted Love," a track in the vein of "The Code," alternating between lyrical vocals and modern rhythms.

France, followed by Israel, Belgium, the Netherlands and Finland, complete the leading group according to bookmakers.