Eurovision: a guide to orient themselves at the 2025 edition

We start again: from tonight, the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is staged in Basel. A very particular edition, after the controversies of the 2025 edition – the expulsion of Joost Klein for “inappropriate behaviors” and the controversies on Israel’s participation. So this edition will be more “controlled”: a new code of conduct, a lower media access to artists and tests. A little more self -referential in the show.

How it works: the rules of 2025

The mechanism of the competition remains the classic one. The participating countries are 37: 31 challenge each other in the two semifinals, scheduled for 13 and 15 May, while the so -called Big Five (Italy, France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom), together with the host nation – this year Switzerland, winner of the 2024 edition – are qualified by right to the final of 17mage. 20 artists will pass from the semifinals, 10 for each evening, bringing the total of the finalists to 26.
The voting system is divided into two phases. In the semifinals he decides only the televoting of the public, while in the final the score is half made up of the votes of national juries and halfway from the televoting. The online vote for a fee by the “Rest of the world” is also confirmed, that is, of non -participating countries, which is counted as a set of autonomous points.

Compared to previous editions, however, there are significant changes on the organizational and communicative level. The tests are now behind closed doors, accessible only to official delegations. A new protocol has been introduced to ensure the well -being and safety of artists and staff, which limits filming in the backstage areas and creates “protected” spaces for the participants. All – musicians, technicians, media – are required to sign a code of conduct in order to participate in the event. It is a reaction to the criticisms of the past years, an attempt to better control the environment of the competition, but also a sign of a growing closure.
“Until a few years ago the first tests were open to the press, now we no commentators can not assist you,” says Eddy Anselmi, the highest expert of Eurovision author of the Italian edition by Rai. “It is a return to the top-down communication of the old public TV. But the Eurovision has made the jump by opening itself, becoming viral thanks to the involvement of the fans. Turn off this spontaneous spread network is, in my opinion, an error”. This closure is also reflected in the structure of the show. In place of international guests or moments capable of breaking the bubble, Eurovision 2025 will propose as interludes with artists already seen in the competition and a tribute to the canceled edition of 2020. A choice that favors the nostalgia effect rather than the opening.
“He is an Eurovision that speaks of himself,” says Anselmi. “All the interval numbers, even those of the final, seem more to long -term enthusiasts than to the general public. It is a shame: the Turin edition in 2022 had tried to open a window outside. This, however, is a repatriation between relatives”.

Lucio Corsi’s Italy and the weight of the soft power

In this context, Italy comes with a proposal far from the predictable canons of the competition. After Olly’s renunciation, winner in Sanremo, Lucio Corsi represents our country with “I wanted to be a tough”, a poetic song and out of the box – which will be brought to the stage with subtitles to make the story understand.

“It’s a difficult song, not from Eurovision,” admits Anselmi, “but with a beautiful song there is no definition of Eurovision that holds. I am against the logic of the ‘Eurovisive piece’. Often they are songs with the same system. Lucio is another thing: he has identity, he has a message, he has vision. If the European commentators will understand who is Lucio, if his message will be transmitted with effectiveness, teamwork “. We aim to stay in the top 10, Aselmi is hoped for, as happens in recent years.

The widespread presence of Italy

Italy, however, is also the protagonist in other ways. Gabry Ponte represents San Marino with the Sanremo “Jingle” “All of Italy” selected by the Titan TV: Tommy Cash, competing for Estonia, is competing with the song-meme “Espresso stained”; The Skodra Elektronique, competing for Albania, are Albanians but grown up in Italy, and their music is a mix of Balkan folk and local electronic production.
“Do we risk overexposure?”, Anselmi is wondered. “No, we risk the soft power. And I say it in a positive sense. Our music is everywhere, because it works, because it communicates. Spain makes summer hits, but at the Eurovision effort. We, on the other hand, have been in top ten for seven years”.
It is also interesting to note how the Italian presence manifests itself in different ways. “San Marino is a bit of Rai’s red bull,” jokes Anselmi, referring to the former Satellite team of Red Bull. “Tommy Cash is the comic Italian film comic, such as Joe Pesci. And the skodra bring Italy without declaring it. It is a nice musical derby, let’s see who wins it”.

The favorites and geopolitical tensions

Italy is not among the first favorites: S according to the bookmakers, the nations to be kept by eye are Sweden, as always, but also Austria and France, with the controversial Israeli presence given in the top 5. Although Ebu continue to argue that it is not and must not be a political event, the climate of world conflict will make himself heard: in the past few days there has been a petition signed by over 70 artists for the exclusion of Israel from the competition from the competition – which presents himself with an artist who survived the Hamas massacre of 7 October 2023.
Ebu introduced a Code of conduct and the Duty of Care, which in addition to regulating the interactions between the participants will have the effect of controlling political messages in every EUROVISION space. “These are not punitive but responsibility measures,” Simona Martorelli, director of the International Rai reports, explained at the press conference. “The code of conduct defines the behaviors that all credited must observe, while the Duty of Care concerns the care and protection of those who participate in the event, at every level”. For example, the presence of flags (national or causes) is much more regulated, which cannot be shown by the artists on stage, but only national ones in nearby areas where artists await the items