With national final season beginning to ramp up, Eurovision news has come from an unexpected source today. In a press release, broadcaster RTL from Luxembourg have announced a possible return to Eurovision in 2024!
Luxembourg was one of the seven countries to participate at the inaugural Eurovision Song Contest in Lugano in 1956. It participated in every edition until 1993 when the Grand Duchy finished out of the Top 10 for the fifth year in a row. As a result, the country was relegated and could not participate at Eurovision 1994 in Dublin, and has never returned since.
Since their withdrawal, rumors and gossip about Luxembourg’s return have appeared many times, most notably in 2016 when the Government of Luxembourg held a debate to discuss its possible return to the Contest. There were even discussions about a collaboration entry with San Marino that fell through in 2014.
For years, RTL has cited a lack of funding as the reason for their non-participation. Today, Xavier Bettel (Luxembourgish Prime Minister and Minster for Communications and Media) brought up the issue of a return to Eurovision in council. PM Bettel noted the high cost of the return, but that “the positive impact in return would be substantial.”
The government has contacted RTL about a return to the Contest. The RTL Group is a founding member of the EBU, going back to 1950. This means that to return to Eurovision, RTL would need to pay the entry fee and choose a participant.
Despite not having participated in 30 years, Luxembourg has the third most wins of any competing country. The nation’s five wins have come from Jean-Claude Pascale (1961), France Gall (1965), Vicky Leandros (1972), Anne-Marie David (1973), and Corrine Hermès (1983).
What do you make of today’s announcement? Would you like to see Luxembourg back on the Eurovision stage, and how to you think they would fair? Let us know in the comments below and on our social media @escbubble!
