In Photos: What Eurovision Singers And Environment Ministers Have in Common
The 2016 Eurovision final is set to take place in Stockholm, Sweden on Saturday (14 May). And what you’ve always wanted to know is, of course: how do the contestants compare to their national climate change ministers?
Just a few weeks ago, U.S. president Barack Obama joked how Europeans “vote for different singers on Eurovision,” before saying the historic Paris Agreement on climate change “wouldn’t have happened” without a united Europe.
The Daily Planet already brought you an overview of the European Union’s 28 climate change ministers – in charge of making sure their countries ratify the agreement ASAP – and their social media accounts. Today, we bring you the EU’s national climate change ministers versus their Eurovision counterparts, in photos.
The upshot? Some ministers look more like their national Eurovision contestants than others, and both groups are a relatively diverse bunch as far as gender and fashion style goes. United in diversity, as the EU’s motto goes!
Who will win the contest, and will it be someone from one of the 28 EU countries? Watch the grand final online and keep an eye on our EU climate change minister Twitter list to see if they’re all tweeting about it like Malta’s minister.
More than 200 million people are expected to tune in to the Grand Finale on 14 May at 21:00 Swedish time (that’s CET), but there’s also still time to catch the second half finale which is on tonight (12 May) at 21:00.
Austria
Austrian minister Andrä Rupprechter vs. Austria’s Eurovision contestant ZOË.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Belgium
Belgian minister Marie Christine Marghem vs. Belgium’s Eurovision contestant Laura Tesoro.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Bulgaria
Bulgarian minister Ivelina Vesselinova Vassileva vs. Bulgaria’s Eurovision contestant Poli Genova.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Croatia
Croatian minister Slaven Dobrović vs. Croatia’s Eurovision contestant Nina Kraljić.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Cyprus
Cypriot minister Nicos Kouyialis vs. Cypriot Eurovision contestant Minus One.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Czech Republic
Czech minister Richard Brabec vs. Czech Eurovision contestant Gabriela Gunčíková.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Denmark
Danish minister Esben Lunde Larsen vs. Denmarks Eurovision contestants Lighthouse X.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Estonia
Estonian minister Marko Pomerants vs. Estonian Eurovision contestant Jüri Pootsmann.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Finland
Finnish minister Kimmo Tiilikainen vs. Finland’s Eurovision contestant Sandhja.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
France:
French minister Ségolène Royal vs. France’s Eurovision contestant Amir.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Germany
German minister Barbara Hendricks vs. Germany’s Eurovision contestant Jamie-Lee.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Greece
Greek minister Giannis Tsironis vs. Greece’s Eurovision contestant Argo.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Hungary
Hungarian minister Miklós Seszták (credit: MTI/Kovács Attila) vs. Hungary’s Eurovision contestant Freddie.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Ireland
Irish minister Alan Kelly and Ireland’s Eurovision contestant Nicky Bryne.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Italy
Italian minister Gian Luca Galletti vs. Italy’s Eurovision contestant Francesca Michielin.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Latvia
Latvian minister Kaspars Gerhards (credit: Ivars Bušmanis) vs. Latvia’s Eurovision contestant Justs.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Lithuania
Lithuanian minister Kęstutis Trečiokas (credit: BFL / A. Ufartas) vs. Lithuania’s Eurovision contestant Donny Montell.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Luxembourg
Although it has taken part 37 times since the song festival was first organised in 1956, the last time Luxembourg took part in the contest was 1993.
Here’s Luxembourg’s Carole Dieschbourg (credit: gouvernement.lu) vs. Luxembourg’s 1993 entry Modern Times (who are now not so modern anymore).
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Malta
Maltese minister Leo Brincat vs. Malta’s Eurovision contestant Ira Losco.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Brincat appears to already have a keen interest in the Maltese contestant, tweeting that her entry is Grammy Award material.
According to the #DailyTelegraph #Ira is practically a #GrammyAward contender by #Eurovision standards pic.twitter.com/QTfsbxcsIn
— Leo Brincat (@LeoBrincat) May 10, 2016
Netherlands:
Dutch minister Sharon Dijksma (credit: niw.nl) vs. the Dutch Eurovision contestant, Douwe Bob.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Poland:
Polish minister Jan Szyszko vs. Poland’s Eurovision contestant Michał Szpak.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Portugal
Portugal has withdrawn from the 2016 competition. Speculation is that it’s due to frosty relationships with the Swedish hosts.
Here’s João Pedro Soeiro de Matos Fernandes (Credit: economico.sapo.pt) vs. Portugal’s 2015 Eurovision contestant Leonor Andrade.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Romania:
Eurovision reports that Romania is no longer entitled to take part due to a repeated non-payment of debts.
Here’s Romanian minister Cristiana Pașca Palmer vs. Romania’s 2015 Eurovision candidates Voltaj.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Slovakia:
Slovakia has not taken part in Eurovision since 2012, citing financial constraints.
Here is Slovakian minister László Solymos (credit: SME) vs. Slovakia’s 2012 Eurovision entry Max Jason Mai.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Slovenia:
Slovenian minister Irena Majcen (credit: Leon Vidic/Delo) vs. Slovenia’s Eurovision contestant ManuElla.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Spain:
Spanish minister Isabel García Tejerina (credit: Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente) vs. Spain’s Eurovision contestant Barei.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Sweden:
Swedish minister Åsa Romson vs. Sweden’s Eurovision contestant Frans.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
United Kingdom:
UK minister Amber Rudd vs. UK Eurovision contestants Joe and Jake.
[before-after width=”75%” viewer_position=”left” label_one=”” label_two=””]
[/before-after]
Photo credit for singers: Eurovision. Photo credit ministers: their social media channels.
Have you heard of the “Eurovision of clean-tech”? Find out how you can take part in ClimateLaunchpad.