chacun pense soi

So you've noticed some odd patterns in voting?

Every since Greece first gave 12 points to Cyprus for a crap song people have looked to the heavens and said "Oohh, that vote was suss" (or something akin to that). Terry Wogan is particularly sharp in predicting where certain countries will send their votes... mind you, he still honestly thinks Ireland gets 12 points from the UK coz they have good songs - nothing to do with the massive Irish-born community in the UK, oh no.

'Neighbourhood Watch' is EDU's catchphrase for any predictable voting pattern which appears to be independent from the quality of the song and more reliant on geographic and demographic proximity. Greece and Cyprus are just the tip of the iceberg. ESC in the 21st Century has become burdened with seven clear voting blocs and two lesser blocs.

Aren't you being overly suspicious?

Well, not everyone agrees on what is a good song, and it should come as no real shock that if a nation enters a song which is very traditionally Balkan (for example) that other Balkan nations will naturally like that song more than people in France or Portugal. So, yeah - we are being overly suspicious. What's it to you? Why are you asking? Just what is your story??

Each year, EDU reviews the votes cast and highlights any voting which appears might neighbourly. When these patterns are repeated often enough, we declare a new bloc is born. Membership is typically static and stable - which the noteable exception of the Ukraine after the Orange Revolution, which resulted in the Slavic bloc splitting in 2005.

Is it really that clear cut?

Migrating artists add to the patterns. Sweden gave 12 points to Greece both times Elena Paparizou represented Greece (she is born and bred in Sweden). Estonia and Latvia sent big votes to Switzerland in 2005 due to the Vanilla Ninjas being Estonian. Neighbourhood Watch has it's eye out for these patterns also. As of early 2004 the blocs recorded were:

If I Had Your Love - the voting blocs

BLOC	MEMBERS
Hellenic	Greece & Cyprus
Francophonic	France, Monaco, Belgium & Switzerland
Yugoslav	Serbia-Montenegro, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia-Herzegovina & FYR Macedonia
Baltic	Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia
Slavic	Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Romania & Serbia-Montenegro
Scandanavian	Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden & Finland
Muslim	Turkey, Albania, Bosnia-Herzegovina & FYR Macedonia
Lesser Blocs	Members
Turkish Workers	Germany, Austria, Netherlands (votes to Turkey)
Turkey's EU bid	Turkey (votes to Greece & Cyprus)

NOTE: Following Ukraine's Orange Revolution it received almost no votes from Russia and Belarus. Romania, Moldova, Hungary and the Ukraine passed some votes between them. This may be a new bloc in formation.
"Forget it. The Eastern bloc has taken over. It's now nevermind the music, we've got the neighbours to think about" (Wogan, 2005).