A lesson in geopolitics unfolded for the author during Eurovision, a festival that has long drawn people from all ages, including the lucky middle-aged who did not attend the singing, feathered, birdwatching event for years. This geopolitical takeaway was strikingly nationalistic then as it is now. Spain was not welcome at the time, entry into the Common Market seemed impossible, yet the Germans enjoyed spending summers there with abundant sun and affordable joy. “Long live Spain!” rang out. England disagreed, France resented them, and Portugal seemed to side with the home crowd. The success of the song that became “La, la, la” felt like Kaya returning home.
Nationalism leaned inward; the meaning of the song mattered less than the idea of the song itself, with each contestant adding a territorial tag like “from Spain” to their name for the moment. Every performance could feel like an anthem, even if only briefly. Those who believed in belonging, implying they possessed something special, argued their voices were strong, their teams successful, and they trusted those who shared a common burden of responsibility. The large audience doubled during the voting, and nationalism that views neighbors as threats while children grow up without Europe in their curriculum swelled. Media coverage often produced black-and-white lists of those who awarded a full twelve points or none at all.
In that period, the people’s vote crowned Ukraine, a country that would endure the loss of Donbas but win Eurovision. The civil service, meanwhile, avoided risky gambles with energy supplies, refraining from negotiating with the Russian Federation, and soon faced a longer border with Finland. Borders are not simple lines; they are wounds that injure both sides and become zones of transition where national identity is most intensely tested. They mark borders where geography is similar yet politics diverges. A border can feel like an axe blade splitting identities.
Today, there is less space for buffers, no neutral ground, no suspension for potholes. The call remains: pursue the third option — a chance to reset and move forward.