Behind the Glitter: Eurovision's Identity Crisis

Uniting Europe or dividing it? A celebration of LGBTQ+ identity or a stage for homophobia? A voice for peace or a platform for political contestations? In the wake of the latest Eurovision edition, KU Leuven academics Maryna Shevtsova (political science) and Jonas Vanderschueren (cultural studies) reflect on the deepening cracks in Eurovision’s identity. They discuss how the song contest came dangerously close to imploding this year—and how its political values remain strikingly inconsistent and unresolved.