MMD, the Monaco Media Difffusion, has confirmed to ESCToday that Monaco will not compete at the forthcoming 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in the UK next year.

Thus Monaco joins Andorra, Luxembourg and Slovakia all whom have confirmed to ESCToday that they will not return to the contest next year in the United Kingdom.

Eurovision fans will be dismayed to learn that Monaco will not return to the competition next year either. Monegasque national broadcaster MMD confirmed to ESCToday that Monaco will not compete at Eurovision next year. MMD is an active member of the EBU and thus is eligible to partake in the competition.

The last time Monaco competed at the Eurovision Song Contest was in 2006, back then the Monegasque national broadcaster TMC was responsible for the microstate’s participation at Eurovision. Recently TMC merged into French broadcaster TF 1 and is no more a member of the EBU.

Monaco withdrew from the competition in 2007 and its return to the competition in the near future remains uncertain.

Monaco in Eurovision

Monaco debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959 and has partaken in the contest 24 times. The tiny principality has won the competition once, namely in 1971 when Severine was crowned the winner in Dublin with her entry Un banc, un arbre, une rue.

The country competed in the contest religiously every year from 1959- 1979, then in 1980 it decided to withdraw from the competition and stayed out until 2004 when it decided to return when the semi-final was introduced.

Monaco competed at the 2004, 2005 and 2006 Eurovision editions and withdrew again in 2007 due to poor results and three consecutive non qualifications.

Source: ESCToday
Photo credit: