Eurovision Song Contest Switzerland 1989

After Céline Dion won the Eurovision Song Contest 1988 for Switzerland with Ne partez pas sans moi, the 1989 contest was held in Lausanne, Switzerland. It was the second time Switzerland hosted the contest, after the first contest in Lugano in 1956. The final was held on 6 May in the Palais de Beaulieu, the host broadcaster was TSR on behalf of SRG SSR, and the presenters were Jacques Deschenaux and Lolita Morena. 22 countries took part, and Cyprus returned after a year away. The two youngest performers in the history of the contest took part: 12-year-old Gili Netanel for Israel and 11-year-old Nathalie Pâque for France. Their participation caused controversy and calls to exclude them, which the organisers did not heed, but it led to a rule change the next year.

Riva from Yugoslavia won with Rock Me and 137 points, 7 points ahead of the United Kingdom’s Why Do I Always Get It Wrong? by Live Report. Denmark’s Vi maler byen rød was third. It was the first and only victory for Yugoslavia.

Sources: Wikipedia: Eurovision Song Contest 1989 (host broadcaster, presenters, participants, the child performers).