Russian MP: Conchita Wurst winning Eurovision is ‘the end of Europe’
A Russian MP has claimed that Austrian drag artist Conchita Wurst winning Eurovision is “the end of Europe”.
Voting breakdowns released by the EBU today show that Wurst’s entry went down surprisingly well with the Russian public, coming third in the country’s televote, and only lost out overall because the Russian juries ranked it 11th.
Speaking on state television, Russian MP and former Speaker Vladimir Zhirinovsky claimed her victory spelled the end of Europe as a whole.
According to the Mirror he said: “There is no limit to our outrage.
“It has turned wild. There are no more men or women in Europe, just it.
“[It is] the end of Europe.”
Steve Rosenberg, the BBC Moscow Correspondent, said that the Russian government were not happy with Wurst’s victory, claiming: “[They didn’t take it] well at all.”
Russian politician Vitaly Milonov had previously called for the country to boycott the contest over Wurst’s seleciton, labelling it the “Eurovision sodom show”.
He had said: “Even just broadcasting the competition in Russia could insult millions of Russians.
“The participation of the obvious transvestite and hermaphrodite Conchita Wurst on the same stage as Russian singers on live television is blatant propaganda of homosexuality and spiritual decay.”
Russian entrants the Tolmachevy Sisters were loudly and repeatedly booed by the Copenhagen crowd, and managed to scrape just 89 points.
At the winner’s press conference last night, Wurst said: “We are unstoppable.
“I really dream of a world where we don’t have to talk about unnecessary things like sexuality, where you’re from or who you love. This is not what it’s all about.”
“I really felt like tonight, Europe showed that we are a unity full of respect and tolerance.”
