Some rules that have been applied for years in the Eurovision Song Contest have been changed. With the new regulation, an unprecedented security criterion has been introduced for the country that wins the competition to host the organization next year. According to the new rule, reported by the New York Times from the US press, if the winning country is in a state of war, the country in question will not be able to host the next Eurovision. However, the regulation was not limited to an open state of war. 'HE WILL NOT BE A HOME OWNER' Within the scope of the new rules, the existence of a "sensitive geopolitical situation" that affects the security, safety or stability of a country or its immediate surroundings may also lead to the loss of the right to home ownership. Thus, not only the result of the competition, but also the security and political conditions in the region will be directly decisive in determining the host country in Eurovision history. If deemed necessary, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) may commission an independent security assessment for the region where the winning country is located. THE UKRAINIAN EXAMPLE HAS BECOME A RULE The new regulation also formalizes the process that Ukraine had previously experienced. Following the Russia-Ukraine war that started in 2022, Ukrainian Kalush Orchestra won Eurovision, but a security assessment was made as to whether the competition could be held in Ukraine the following year. After the security risks were deemed too high, the organization was held in the United Kingdom instead of Ukraine, and Liverpool hosted the competition. With the new rule, the path to be followed in case a similar situation occurs in the future has been more clearly determined. REMARKABLE STEP AFTER THE ISRAEL DEBATE It was also noteworthy that the change in the rules came after the discussions about Israel's participation in Eurovision. Protests and boycott calls for the competition were on the agenda this year due to Israel's genocidal attacks in Gaza. While it has not been announced that the new regulation directly targets a specific country, it seems that the Eurovision management has created a clearer framework for how the competition will be affected by war and geopolitical crises in the future. THE AGE LIMIT FOR COMPETITORS HAS CHANGED The game-changing change in Eurovision is not limited to the hosting rules. The age limit of 16 to participate in the competition has been increased to 18. Thus, all contestants who will appear on stage in future competitions will have to be over 18 years old. EMPHASIS ON 'LIVE' PERFORMANCE ON STAGE Organizers also rearranged the rules regarding stage performances. In the competition, where the use of live instruments has not been mandatory since 1999, the rule that the artist sing the main vocal live was especially emphasized. Starting next year, backing tracks used will not be allowed to "unduly assist" the singer or singers on stage. Thus, the boundaries regarding the extent to which the performance at Eurovision can be supported by technical means have been redrawn. THE NEW ERA WILL START IN BULGARIA The first host of the new Eurovision era, where the rules have changed, will be Bulgaria.
