Monaco's official broadcaster, TMC, has declared that the country will not compete in the Eurovision Song Contest in Italy in 2022. The microstate first competed in the Eurovision Song Contest in 1959, winning once in 1971. Séverine Ferrer performed "La Coco-Dance" in Athens in 2006, which was their last appearance in the competition.
Monaco joins Belarus, Luxembourg, and Slovakia as the fourth country to declare their non-participation in Italy next year. Other nations, such as Andorra and Bosnia and Herzegovina, have stated that they will not participate in Eurovision in 2022.
Monaco hasn't competed in a Eurovision final since 1979, so it's expected that they won't be back next year. TMC has confirmed to ESCToday that they will not participate in Eurovision 2022, when the competition moves to Italy.
TMC claimed after its withdrawal from the 2006 tournament that they feel regional voting blockages between certain nations imply Monaco has virtually no chance of qualifying for the final. These remarks came after a three-year hiatus from the competition, during which a semi-final was established for the first time.
Monaco has had mixed results in the competition since its debut in Cannes in 1959, with many podium positions and two last places, notably in their debut, when "Mon ami Pierrot" got only one point.
Séverine led the country to victory with "Un banc, un arbre, un rue" in 1971, the city-lone state's victory. The song got 128 points, putting it ahead of second-placed Spain. It included six flawless 10 point scores. Throughout the 1970s, Monaco continued to perform well in the competition, finishing in the top five four times. Despite their victory, the country withdrew after the 1979 competition.
Monaco returned to the competition for three years between 2004 and 2006, finishing 19th, 24th, and 21st, respectively, after the introduction of a semi-final. Séverine Ferrer performed "La Coco-Dance" in both French and Tahitian as their last participation in the competition.