What does Latvia have to say at the annual European vanity fair?
Well, in terms of music, obviously not much. Sending crap year after year to Eurovision, Latvia doesn’t seem to care too much about waving its national colours on the highly regarded international stage. I’m sure, we should care more, since by sending crap Latvijas Televīzija simply wastes the Latvian taxpayers’ money paid in for the country’s participation.
Now the voting. Good we participate in this no matter how we’ve goofed up with the stage performance. Sure you can screw up the voting just as easily! But first some figure checkup.
Latvia voted similarly with Estonia in 16 cases (out of 25), with Lithuania in 15, and all three countries voted similarly 11 times.
Latvia and Estonia solidarised with the Nordics on 14 countries. For Lithuania, the number is eight. With the ex-Soviet countries, Latvia voted similarly on six countries, Estonia on seven and Lithuania on 13.
More importantly, in voting on key countries Latvia lined up with the Nordics on Azerbaijan, Ukraine, Denmark, Ireland, Georgia and Russia (sic!). Together with the ex-Soviets, Latvia voted on Sweden, Finland and Iceland (too bad), as well as the UK. The score is 6 N against 4 ex-S. Estonia’s score is 7:5. Lithuania’s 1:10!
Estonia scores high in the Nordic neighbour voting: it voted 3 times on the Nordic neighbours—Sweden, Denmark and Finland but not Iceland—similarly with the Nordics themselves. Latvia voted similarly only on Denmark. Lithuania ignored them completely.
Latvia’s “douze points à” Italy seemed embarrassing, yet less bizarre than the zero to Sweden. But the fact is that Italy was somewhat high on the charts of both of the other Baltic countries (Lithuania gave ten and Estonia six) as well as the UK (seven).
I have no idea to what extent the votings announced reflect what people in Latvia really voted for. I do question Latvia’s zero vote to Russia. Not because I had voted for the Russian hullabaloo. I didn’t vote for any. But Latvia, regarded a top enemy in Russia, faithfully favours this source of a real historical danger.
The bottom line is that whoever shaped the outcome of the Latvian vote, they outlined the country’s confusion. Although Latvia signalled its Baltic, almost as much as Nordic, association, Latvia’s voting on Sweden seemed a striking nuisance. I can’t help drawing parallels with the popular dislike of the “Scandinavians” in Latvia nowadays. This is outmost childish and tasteless. Practically as mush so as the song Latvia delegated to Düsseldorf this year.
3 thoughts on “LV in Eurovision. Rich enough to screw up?”
Swedish performance was tastless. Latvia's 12 to Italy showed that we have some taste. I don't think it has something to do with politics.
\”We\” never has (singularis) a taste. It's always you, he, she, I. Latvia's voting reveals a certain attitude shared by many, not a taste. As for the taste. Please. Latvia keeps choosing useless bullshit for ESC year after year. So much about \”our\” taste.
I think at least last three years we have chosen the best bullshit possible. From those participants in national contest. We never know if the best are taken to that national final, because \”experts\” pick them up. Maybe every year there is some jewel which is undervalued by experts and \”we\” don't even have a possibility to vote for it. P.S. When we sent Marie N to eurovision, i was like – omg, such a bullshit! But.. 🙂