Russia will hold the Intervision Song Contest later this year, according to an order signed by the president
Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed an order to hold the Intervision Song Contest in 2025, establishing it as an alternative to Eurovision. The event is scheduled to take place in Moscow this autumn.
Eurovision, organized annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) since the 1950s, has been riddled with scandals and has faced accusations of prioritizing political narratives over music in recent years.
In 2022, the EBU banned Russia from the contest after the escalation of the Ukraine conflict, raising accusations of double standards after it allowed Israel to take part despite its military operation in Gaza.
In a presidential decree signed on Monday, Putin instructed the government to hold the Intervision musical contest as part of continued work on developing international cultural cooperation.
A similar contest of the same name was held from 1965 to 1977 and served as an alternative to Eurovision for Eastern Bloc countries. Participants included the USSR, East Germany, Czechoslovakia, Poland, and Hungary.
The revived version is planned to include BRICS nations, members of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS), and other interested countries. Russian officials say that the event will be free from political restrictions, allowing a wider range of participants.
The idea to revive the contest was initially brought up by Russian Culture Minister Olga Lyubimova in September 2023. Since then, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has said that more than 25 countries, including several Latin American nations, have expressed interest.
Mikhail Shvydkoy, the president’s special representative for international cultural cooperation, has also confirmed that preparations are underway and said that all BRICS members have already confirmed they will take part, suggesting that it will be held this September.
Eurovision has faced a dwindling audience amid a number of controversies, including accusations of vote-rigging, disqualifications over song lyrics, and rule inconsistencies. Allegations of political bias have also been a recurring issue, with critics arguing that voting often reflects geopolitical alliances rather than musical merit.
