The small conservative party must collect 2,000 valid signatures by October 26 to force a referendum.
Keystone-SDA
The Swiss Federal Democratic Union (EDU) is launching a referendum to prevent the Eurovision Song Contest from taking place in Basel from May 13 to 17, 2025. The party is collecting signatures to contest a loan granted by the Basel cantonal parliament.
Daniel Frischknecht, president of the small, ultra-conservative EDU Switzerland, announced on Monday that the collection period had begun with the publication in the Basel-City cantonal gazette on Saturday.
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The EDU is confident that “with the help of many Basel residents”, it will be able to bring about a referendum against the loan of CHF34.9 million ($41.3 million). This would allow the electorate of the canton of Basel-City to decide on the loan at the ballot box.
+ Eurovision Song Contest 2025 to be staged in Basel
The loan was approved by the Basel cantonal parliament last Wednesday by 87 votes to 4, with 4 abstentions. The majority of all parliamentary groups were in favour. The government had requested the expenditure for various areas, such as infrastructure, security, rescue, transportation, accommodation, welcome activities and supporting events. The main venue will be the St. Jakobshalle.
In order for the referendum to take place, at least 2,000 certified signatures must be collected and submitted by October 26. The small Christian party had already announced earlier that it would launch a referendum against public spending on the “propaganda event”. According to the government council, a vote would take place on November 24.
Translated from German by DeepL/gw
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