EUROVISION'S 30 MOST CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS. 
Part 1: 1956 (Secret Scoring). 
Continues tomorrow.

THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSIES

Of the

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

(1956 - 2019)  

From its inaugural year, the Eurovision Song Contest has had more than its fair share of controversial moments. This is a special look back on 30 significant controversies in chronological order.

1956

Secret scoring.

To this day, no details have been revealed about the scoring involved in the very first Eurovision Song Contest held in Lugano, Switzerland on May 24. Only 7 countries participated. Each nation entered 2 songs for the one and only time.

Each competing country was asked to provide a 2- person jury to determine a winner. Luxembourg’s jurors were unable to get to the event, so Swiss nationals were permitted to vote on their behalf. Juries could vote for any of the 7 competing countries, including their own entry. This rule was changed the following year.

No one can claim with any certainty how Switzerland secured the first victory, but with 2 juries consisting of Swiss citizens, this may have given the country an unfair advantage.

As the scores have never been made available to the public, speculation continues to this day as to whether Switzerland’s official jury and the Swiss nationals that stepped in as jurors for Luxembourg all voted for their own country. 

Today, juries and the public cannot vote for their own nation's entry. After all of the songs in the Grand Final have been performed, the results from every participating country are revealed.