Picture credits: © ARD Germany’s ambitions for the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2025 couldn’t be clearer: if the country doesn’t win, the Chefsache ESC could be discontinued.
This new selection format is a partnership between public broadcaster ARD, RTL, and Stefan Raab. Christine Strobl, ARD’s programming director, told Hörzu:
– Our goal is and remains victory. We’re not considering what happens if it doesn’t work out. I’m confident this partnership will succeed. Nothing less than a victory justifies such collaboration”.
Stefan Raab also made his intentions clear: “I’m not doing this to come in second or third. The national football team doesn’t go into a tournament saying, «We want third place». If we only come in second, you can punish me later”.
Chefsache ESC 2025 will feature 24 participants, starting with two heats of 12 contestants on February 14 and 15, airing on RTL. Seven acts from each heat will advance to the semifinal on February 22, also on RTL, with nine finalists chosen by jury vote. The grand final will take place on March 1 on Das Erste, with the winner decided solely by the public vote.
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