song contest song contest 57th edition annual song contest took place following win contest germany song running scared marking time country won contest contest held newly constructed crystal hall semi finals held followed final held countries competed contest montenegro returning time withdrawal armenia security concerns relation ongoing conflict poland financial concerns contest won singer sweden song written son song scored total points russia finished second place serbia finishing followed host country reached 4th place albania finished 5th achieving placing germany italy spain members managed rank finishing 8th 9th 10th places respectively lead contest met political concerns protests surrounding host country including human rights record allegations advocacy groups carrying forced construction contest venue objections contest presence iranian officials felt event anti islamic according gay parade location got right host edition song contest winning previous edition song running scared performed capital largest city largest city region named host city contest venue built months prior contest city coastline shortly victory edition officials announced new seat concert venue built near national flag square potential venue event days later venue options revealed organisers seat august awarded contract construct preparations construction began area shortly announcement cost contract named government allocated million construction venue september reported venue contest formal confirmation time october director general national broadcaster announced decision venue choice taken steering committee january january confirmed venue contest venue extended capacity people people able attend tickets festival available online purchase february format meeting june decided system revert format recently contest phone sms lines opened minute window songs performed instead opening starts system results format remained country votes decided split national jury participating country national jury consisted professional members music industry official rules released november number participants final raised including host nation big semi final second time song contest countries final contest semi final allocation draw draw determined semi final running order held january palace participating countries excluding automatic finalists france germany italy spain united_kingdom split based countries voted past contests half close half possible competed semi final half particular pot competed second semi final draw acted approximate running order order countries know rehearsals commence determine semi final automatic finalists allowed vote armenia withdrew approximately month half semi final allocation draw graphic design design contest built motto light fire inspired nickname land fire introductory video began shot artist performers followed flag country font background resembling yellow orange red fire theme art consisted shots displaying underneath land land abundance land poetry etc followed town geographic feature showing landscape culture country focused host city text changing underneath city city jazz city leisure etc finished shot displayed colours performing country flag acted tourism mechanism present country wider audience artist song number graphics tables voting graphics kept slight modification incorporate theme art lower points highlighted red squares points highlighted orange squares square increasing size relation point value sets graphics designed london brand design agency national host broadcaster member broadcast song contest country public service broadcasters deputy minister stated networks ready host event largest telecommunications operator chosen presenting partner contest december named german production company official production partner contest citing quality work previous year contest participating countries january announced countries contest 57th edition saw return montenegro previously represented armenia originally planned participate later withdraw application security fears continuous poland withdrew competition financial burden european football championship poland hosted ukraine summer olympics returning artists artists returned year contest macedonia previously participated contest song placed 26th position pre qualifying round iceland serbia previously participated represented serbia montenegro song lane placed second year hosted contest performed heaven placed 19th second consecutive year participated ireland 8th place finish contest song languages finnish entry sung finland second entry swedish entry sung swedish russia entry party everybody sung entry performed georgian entry entry containing georgian language bulgarian song love unlimited words language appeared contest results semi finals semi final italy spain voted semi final allowed broadcaster transmission use jury votes bus accident country notes contained phrases german song completely title latin latin person means contained phrases italian central dialect spoken song completely english title romanian semi final france germany united_kingdom voted second semi final germany requested vote semi final armenia drawn perform half semi final later withdrew contest security reasons notes song contained phrases arabic english french greek italian spanish turkish final company checked verified individual jury results combined create overall national vote contests june published results follows semi final points summary maximum points country awarded semifinal semi final points summary maximum points country awarded second semifinal final points summary maximum points country awarded final country took points receiving points total scores added france received points stage countries october announced plans country participate financial difficulties country planned withdraw entirely armenia march announced decided withdraw participation despite originally included list participating countries decision came president gave speech february stated main enemies world corrupt politicians control country consequently fined expected face penalties exclusion participation future contests failed comply requirements armenia continuous state war czech_republic november reported czech_republic compete contest following release television schedule november announced official documents published march october showed national broadcaster granted active membership sparking début nation november documents later confirmed editing mistakes début planned december confirmed participate reported november meeting geneva considering return contest december head delegation told french speaking website national broadcaster intend return song contest time near future financial budget available morocco interview french delegation revealed morocco likely return song contest new broadcaster reports proposed return morocco contest absence years enhanced meeting geneva poland december reported official facebook page poland withdrawing contest confirmed days later stating broadcaster decided focus european football championship poland hosted ukraine summer olympics stated return ruled controversies human rights concerns large investment hosting contest widely discussed western media attempt poor democracy human rights record activist imprisoned arab spring inspired protests released apparent effort image ahead contest political prisoners remained human rights watch reported violent crackdown protesters eve contest condemned stern crackdown freedom expression dissent non governmental organizations critical journalists fact criticised regime strongly continued contest human rights watch criticised government carrying forced local residents order allow demolition flats way construction neighbourhood built transparency economic rights campaign group described violation human rights having legal authority statement bbc said recent visit observed construction concert hall media reports refer way clean construction site needed cited nature contest government claim construction tied song contest festival winner met local human rights activists contest later told reporters human rights violated day silent things government spokesman criticized response saying contest requested prevented meetings similar nature swedish diplomats replied swedish acted competition rules flash mob anti government protesters quickly dispersed police activists expressed fears face crackdown international spotlight left end contest submitting results german vote presenter germany gave live statement alluded human rights issues saying tonight vote country good able vote good choice good luck journey europe watching tensions iran iranian officials objected hosting song contest iranian far condemned anti islamic behaviour claiming going host gay parade led protests iranian embassy protesters carried mocking iranian leaders head public political issues department president administration said gay parade claims advised iran internal affairs response iran recalled ambassador demanded formal apology iran statements connection hosting song contest later recalled ambassador iran announced thwarted series planned terror attacks song contest targets crystal hall hotels august daily_telegraph reported according western intelligence services iran supreme leader personally gave orders elite unit launch terrorist attacks west allies including song contest awards handed song contest estonia honoring best competing songs final founded sweden representative song contest current head delegation sweden member song contest winner sweden awards named creator annual competition awards divided categories commonly known international organisation founded finland organisation consisted network song contest fan clubs europe non governmental non political non profit company annual tradition fan clubs voting poll opened allowing members respective clubs vote favourite songs contest overall results votes cast annually awarded fan website humorous award given worst dressed artist year contest named belgian singer came contest wearing self designed mocked dress international broadcasts voting voting order country announced vote determined draw following jury results final dress rehearsal similar contest add excitement possible shown alongside country ireland originally scheduled announce votes 32nd country instead voted 42nd reason technical difficulties minutes running voting presentation commentators countries sent commentators country order add insight participants necessary provision voting information participating countries commentators participating countries follows non participating countries commentators non participating countries official album song contest compilation album released album featured songs contest
Eurovision Song Contest 2012