Swiss singer Nemo on Sunday called for tolerance and peace after winning the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with The Code.
The entry – a drum-and-bass, opera, rap and rock tune – received 591 votes and propelled the 24-year into Eurovision legend as the first non-binary winner of the title.
"Performing a song where I speak about my story, having touched so many people and maybe inspired people to stay true to themselves, is the most insane thing that has ever happened to me," said Nemo.
“We need to talk with each other and I hope tonight can be a way of remembering that.”
They are the country's third winner after Céline Dion in 1988 and Lys Assia who won the first competition in 1956.
Second place went to Croatia, with Baby Lasagna and his song Rim Tim Tagi Dim scoring 547 points. Ukraine's entry – Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil singing Teresa & Maria – harversted 453 points. The French singer Slimane came fourth.
Controversy
Less than 12 hours before the start of the event at the Malmo Arena, the European Broadcast Union – which organises the competition – ejected the Dutch entrant Joost Klein after Swedish police launched an investigation into allegations of inappropriate behaviour following rehearsals on Thursday night.
After Klein's exclusion, the Dutch broadcaster Avrotros, denounced the decision.
"We stand for good manners, let there be no misunderstanding about that," said an Avrotros statement.
"But in our view an exclusion measure is disproportionate to this incident.
"We are very disappointed and upset, also for all the millions of fans who were so excited. What Joost brought to the Netherlands and Europe should not have ended this way."
The broadcaster said later it would not hand out points to the other contestants.
Statement spokesperson #europapa #eurovision #eurovision2024 pic.twitter.com/DPkLzT0IUw
— Songfestival (@songfestival) May 11, 2024
The disqualification came as the EBU attempted to contain the discontent over the inclusion of Israel's entry Eden Golan.
Despite protests in the city centre and outside the auditorium in the run-up to her appearance, her three-minute set passed off without incident. The 20-year-old, who received a message of support before the contest from the Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, finished fifth.
The next Eurovision Song Contest will be in Switzerland in 2025.
