Eurovision to open voting to 'rest of the world'

The organizers of the Eurovision Song Contest said Tuesday viewers watching from non-participant countries will be able to vote for their favorite song for the first time ever starting next year.

The new "Rest of the World" vote will add strength to the audience vote as well as recognize the pop song contest's global reach, the organizers said.

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Liverpool following Ukraine's victory this year.

The European Broadcasting Union opted to host the contest in the second-place winning country due to the challenging security environment resulting from the ongoing conflict in Ukraine following Russia's invasion on February 24 of this year. 

Ukraine last hosted in 2017 following the win by Ukrainian singer-songwriter Jamala for her ballad about Stalin era deportations, "1944."

What is the new 'Rest of the World' vote?

Viewers from non-participant countries will now be able to vote via a secure online platform.

A list of countries whose residents will be able to take advantage is to come in the months ahead closer to the event date, which has yet to be announced though customarily falls in mid-May.

The new "Rest of the World" vote count will be weighed as any participating country in both the semi-finals and the grand final, organizers said. 

What other changes can viewers expect in 2023?

Changes will also be made to the vote count in the semi-finals with the national juries no longer playing a role except for in the grand final.

Previously a public vote was weighed against the opinions of a professional jury, a process that has been mired by horse trading in the past.

Irregularities were observed in six national juries in this year's contest and the reformed process is sought to minimize undue influence on the selection of the winner.

ar/jcg (dpa, Reuters)