The time has finally come: NDR has revealed the finalists for the German preliminary round of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 – at least eight of the nine acts. Because: The last ticket for “Our Song for Liverpool” has yet to be awarded! There are six acts to choose from for the preliminary round on March 3rd, which can be voted on via TikTok.
BILD knows exclusively: One of these potential finalists comes from political Berlin. Strictly speaking: from the circles of the CDU. Neuköllnerin Betül Akmar (29) is there with her song “Heaven” – produced by Beyoncé producer Wayne Wilkins.
Side by side with Merz, Merkel and Laschet
Betül (she uses her first name as her stage name) is a CDU insider: from 2018 to 2022 she worked as an assistant in the Konrad-Adenauer-Haus, the CDU headquarters in Berlin. Very close to ex-Chancellor Angela Merkel (68), ex-CDU leader Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer (60), ex-CDU leader Armin Laschet (61) – and also the current CDU leader Friedrich Merz (67).
Pop newcomer Betül (29) with her boss, the politician Gitta Connemann (58, CDU)
Betül has been the personal assistant to Gitta Connemann (58, CDU), boss of the economic wing, since autumn. For the Tik-Tok voting (necessary for the NDR qualification) a self-made music video had to be produced. Betül chose the federal office of the Mittelstandsunion as the location.
The cover of Betül’s breakthrough single “Heaven”. The Grand Prix will be held in Liverpool (Great Britain) this year
Pop and politics: It works!
Betül to BILD: “The CDU has always supported me. My bosses and my colleagues have always advised me to pursue my ESC dream. That gave me a lot of strength and strengthened me.”
Boss Gitta Connemann is happy: “We are very proud of our Betül! It’s great that we have so much talent in our team. We keep our fingers crossed. And of course we will vote diligently for them. Because with Betül and her catchy song, Germany would finally have a real chance at the ESC again.”
Politicians fail at singing
But not all political professionals are good singers.
Many of them have already embarrassed themselves while singing. Andrea Nahles (52, SPD), for example, tried to sing Pipi Longstocking in the German Bundestag with moderate success. Even the party colleagues raised their eyebrows.
Ex-NRW Prime Minister Jürgen Rüttgers (71) presented the classic “YMCA” on the “Wetten, Dass..?” stage. And he didn’t mind the mockery that promptly followed.
Volker Kauder (73, CDU) tried the Toten Hosen, belted out “On days like these” when his party won the 2013 election.
The Eurovision Song Contest final will take place in Liverpool on May 13th.
