Eurovision Fan Survey 2023: Views on voting system and EBU rules

Our fifth annual Eurovision Fan Survey is complete with 426 people taking part from 33 countries.

We have already revealed details of who Eurovision fans are and which countries fan think should compete, and now we take a look at their views on the voting system and rules of the Contest.

Voting system

There has been a lot of discussion about the Eurovision voting system following the 2023 Contest.

But what system do fans want to see?

Current system is still on top

Each year we ask fans which scoring system they prefer and for the fifth straight year, the current system of 50/50 split between the public and jury vote (with the points done separately), came out on top.

43% of fans prefer the current system
10% of fans would like to return to the 50/50 system but where points are combined

Although the current system came out on top, this is down significantly on 2022 when 58% of fans preferred this method.

Growth for more public say grows

The option of a system that includes both jury and televote but favours the public has grown in popularity.

35% would like a split that includes the jury but favours the televote higher than 50%
2% would like a split that includes the televote but favours the jury

The split that favours a public vote jumped up significantly from 19% in 2022 which we could call the 'Käärijä' effect.

It must be noted that in 2022 there was a "Ukraine effect" where support for heavier public vote options dropped across the board.

Despite this move to see more people power, a desire for 100% public vote remains low.

6% want a return to 100% televote
0.2% want a return to 100% jury

An additional 4% of respondents chose "other" as an option with the majority giving some form of split that favours the public or saw the current system with a change in jury members or make-up.

Regional differences

Support for the current system is highest among Europe and Rest of the World fans, both were at 47%. Support was lowest among Australians at 39%.

A system that favours the public vote was, somewhat surprisingly, highest among Aussies at 37% with Europe just behind on 36%. The Rest of the World fans were trailing on 27%.

Rest of the World saw the highest support for the previous 50/50 system at 18% while Australia had the highest support for a split that favours jury, but it was at a low 3%.

Backing vocals

Support for the decision to allow recorded backing vocals remains low among fans.

28% of respondents support recorded backing vocals

Although this number remains low, it this has grown from 22% last year.

Australians are the most supportive of the backing vocals with 32% behind the move while Europe sits at 24%.

100% public vote semi-final

The 2023 Eurovision Song Contest saw the controversial decision for the semi-final qualifiers to be chosen by a 100% public vote.

But are fans behind the move?

38% of fans support 100% public vote semi-finals

Support does remain low, although those against are also not in the majority with 28% neutral on the decision.

Support is highest among Australians at 42% (perhaps buoyed by Voyager's semi-final win), while it was lowest with the Rest of the World voters at 25%.

35% of European respondents support the move.