Regional Block Voting
Statistical analysis of the results between 2001 and 2005 suggests the occurrence of regional block voting; it is a matter of debate whether it is primarily explained by conscious political alliances or by a tendency for culturally close countries to have similar musical tastes. Historically, the United Kingdom and France would exchange points at an average of 6.5 points per contest. Greece and Cyprus invariably exchange points; since 1997, the two countries have always exchanged the maximum twelve points between themselves whenever possible. Several countries can be organised into voting blocks which regularly award each other high points:
- Cyprus and Greece;
- Turkey and Azerbaijan;
- Ireland and the UK;
- The Netherlands and Belgium;
- Andorra, Portugal and Spain;
- Nordic states: Sweden, Norway, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland;
- Baltic states: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania;
- Lithuania and Georgia;
- Balkan countries:
- A core contingent of former Yugoslavian countries, most notably Serbia, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Slovenia, Montenegro, FYR Macedonia, and Croatia;
- Former Warsaw Pact countries of Poland, Belarus, Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, and Moldova;
- Romania and Moldova, acting as a bridge between the Balkan and Warsaw Pact states;
Bjørn Erichsen, former director of Eurovision TV, disagrees with the assertion that regional block voting significantly affects the outcome of the contest, arguing that Russia's first victory in 2008 was only possible with votes from thirty-eight of the participating countries.
Read more about this topic: Voting At The Eurovision Song Contest
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