245 The Hague

Welcome to The Hague

– where royal elegance, international ambition, and the North Sea meet.

Known in Dutch as Den Haag, The Hague is a city unlike any other in the Netherlands. While Amsterdam may be the official capital, this is where the country is governed, where the Dutch royal family works, and where centuries of political history unfold around elegant squares, tree-lined avenues, and peaceful canals. At its heart stands the historic Binnenhof, a remarkable complex of medieval buildings that has served as the center of Dutch politics for generations.

The Hague also looks far beyond the borders of the Netherlands. Known worldwide as the international city of peace and justice, it is home to the Peace Palace and numerous international organizations and courts. This global character gives the city a distinctly cosmopolitan atmosphere, with embassies, international communities, and cultures from around the world woven naturally into everyday life.

Art and culture provide another side to the city. The Mauritshuis houses masterpieces from the Dutch Golden Age, including Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring, while museums, galleries, theaters, and contemporary cultural spaces are scattered throughout the center. Grand architecture and royal palaces sit comfortably alongside lively shopping streets, intimate cafés, and neighborhoods filled with their own distinctive character.

And then there is the sea. Just beyond the stately avenues lies Scheveningen, where a broad sandy beach stretches along the North Sea beneath an enormous open sky. Its famous pier, seaside restaurants, and sweeping promenade give The Hague something few major European cities can offer: the chance to move from government buildings and world-class art to sand beneath your feet within minutes.

From the medieval courtyards of the Binnenhof to the grand ideals represented by the Peace Palace and the windswept beaches of Scheveningen, The Hague brings together history, culture, internationalism, and coastal life with effortless Dutch confidence. It is a city of kings and diplomats, masterpieces and beach days, where the wider world meets the shores of the North Sea.

Highlights

⇧ Binnenhof

The Binnenhof is the historic heart of The Hague and one of the oldest parliamentary complexes still in use in the world. Its Gothic buildings surround a picturesque courtyard beside the Hofvijver lake, with the distinctive Ridderzaal forming its architectural centerpiece.

Mauritshuis

The Mauritshuis is an elegant 17th-century palace housing one of the Netherlands’ finest collections of Dutch Golden Age paintings. Its masterpieces include Vermeer’s Girl with a Pearl Earring and celebrated works by Rembrandt and other Dutch masters.

Scheveningen Beach and Pier

Scheveningen is The Hague’s famous seaside district, centered around a broad sandy beach overlooking the North Sea. Its landmark pier, beachfront promenade, restaurants, and historic Kurhaus make it one of the Netherlands’ most popular coastal destinations.

Peace Palace

The Peace Palace is one of The Hague’s most internationally recognized landmarks and a symbol of the city’s role in global justice. Completed in 1913, its grand neo-Renaissance building houses the International Court of Justice and other important legal institutions.

Madurodam

Madurodam presents the Netherlands in miniature, recreating famous Dutch landmarks, cities, windmills, harbors, and engineering projects in remarkable detail. Interactive displays bring the tiny landscapes to life and showcase many aspects of Dutch history and culture.

Noordeinde Palace

Noordeinde Palace is the working palace of the Dutch monarch, located on one of The Hague’s most elegant shopping streets. Its restrained classical façade, royal gates, and surrounding historic district reflect the city’s longstanding connection with the Dutch royal family.

Kunstmuseum Den Haag

Kunstmuseum Den Haag is renowned for its distinctive Art Deco architecture and extensive collection of modern and decorative art. It holds the world’s largest collection of works by Piet Mondrian, alongside pieces by artists including Monet and Picasso.

Grote Kerk

The Grote Kerk is one of The Hague’s oldest and most prominent historic buildings, recognizable by its unusual six-sided tower. Dating largely from the 15th century, the Gothic church has witnessed royal ceremonies and centuries of the city’s history.

Panorama Mesdag

Panorama Mesdag is a spectacular 360-degree painting that surrounds visitors with a remarkably realistic view of Scheveningen as it appeared in 1881. Measuring around 120 meters in circumference, the enormous artwork creates the illusion of standing on a dune overlooking the sea.

Venue and Presenters

World Forum

A landmark conference and entertain-ment venue in the heart of The Hague, it hosts everything from international summits and congresses to concerts and theatrical productions. Known for its spacious auditorium and internatio-nal character, it reflects the city’s unique role as a global centre for peace, diplomacy, and culture.

Floor Jansen

A powerhouse vocalist with remarkab-le range and commanding stage pre-sence, she is internationally known as the lead singer of Nightwish. Moving effortlessly between metal, rock, and more intimate material, she has be-come one of the Netherlands’ most acclaimed singers and a formidable presence on stages around the world.

Dotan

A distinctive singer-songwriter with an atmospheric and deeply personal sound, he broke through internationally with his blend of folk-inspired pop, layered rhythms, and emotional songwriting. Known for songs such as “Home,” his warm vocals and cinematic arrangements have earned him audiences far beyond the Netherlands.

Nikki de Jaeger

A pioneering creator and television personality, she rose to international fame through her hugely successful NikkieTutorials platform. Combining creativity, humor, and effortless screen presence, she has grown from beauty influencer into a prominent Dutch media figure and internationally recognized presenter.

Participants

40 countries

from Africa, Asia, Europe, North America, South America and Oceania will be on stage in The Hague

Returning countries

Gabon, Monaco, Morocco and United States

Withdrawing countries

Bosnia-Herzegovina, Guinea-Bissau and Philippines

Returning Artists

7th participation

Margaret / 6th place

6th participation

Tamara Todevska / 17th place
Wulf / GM Champion

5th participation

Rosalía / 13th place
Sebalter / 10th place
Zazie / 24th place
ZHANGYE / Bronze Medal

4th participation

Carminho / 16th place
Charlotte Cardin / 11th place
Molly Hammar / Silver Medal
Ronela Hajati / 22nd place

3rd participation

Ivi Adamou / 8th place
Julia Parshuta / 4th place
LP / GM Champion

2nd participation

Capital T / Semi Finalist
Marie Wegener / 9th place
Sebastian Navrátil / Semi Finalist
Vicco / Bronze Medal

DEADLINES

September 13th:
Vote in the semi finals
Nominate an artist for Global Music Royalty

September 24th:
Vote in the final and for Global Music Royalty

September 30th:
Submit a song for the next edition

Voting

Give 12, 10, 8...1 point for your top 10
In the final you also have to choose 3 substitutes

Voting forms:
Semi final
Final

Songs & Videos

Dropbox entitled "245 The Hague"

YouTube playlist at TVGlobalMusic

NOTE that the entry from Suriname isn't available in Spotify, but you can listen to it here

Live Voting & Scoreboards

The Final Live Voting
The Final Scoreboard
The Final July/Televote Split

Semi Final 1 Scoreboard
Semi Final 2 Scoreboard

Video Recaps

The Result

Countries receiving most 12 points / Canada, 6
Countries giving 12 points to the winner / Greece, Finland, Sweden, Netherlands, Ireland and Israel
Countries receiving points from most juries / Ukraine, 19
Highest placing country not scoring a top mark / United Kingdom in 3rd with 10 points from Belgium, Germany, Nepal and Monaco as highest marks
Lowest placing country scoring a top mark / Norway in 25th getting 12 points from France

This final saved its biggest twist for the very end. The juries produced an extraordinarily close battle for first place, only for the televote to turn that narrow contest into a decisive victory.

Act I – A Lead Nobody Could Keep
Ukraine opened the jury voting, with China and Switzerland sharing the early spotlight after both collected 12 points. But the opening stages were restless. Different countries took turns gathering momentum, and no entry immediately established the kind of grip we have seen in some previous editions.
As more juries reported, Italy began to emerge as one of the most dependable scorers. High marks kept arriving from different parts of the board, allowing it to gradually move into the leading group. Canada was following a similarly effective route, rarely allowing Italy any breathing room.
Behind them, Sweden and Liechtenstein developed into the strongest alternatives. Both accumulated support steadily enough to remain within reach, while the United Kingdom also built a competitive score. Germany and Nepal had strong moments of their own, but the battle for the jury victory increasingly centred on Italy and Canada.
The final stretch turned into a genuine duel. Neither could establish a meaningful advantage, and when the last jury had spoken, there was almost nothing between them.

The jury standings finished:
Italy – 103
Canada – 102
Sweden – 84
Liechtenstein – 83
United Kingdom – 80
Germany – 73
Nepal – 73

Just one point separated Italy and Canada. After an entire jury sequence, the contest had effectively been reduced to a blank sheet of paper.
Now the public would write the ending.

Act II – One Number Changes Everything
The televote began from the bottom of the jury ranking, and the early reveals offered few signs of what was coming. Norway received 0 points, while several of the countries further down added only modest totals.
There were exceptions. France picked up a useful 25 points, while North Macedonia did even better with 29, producing one of the first substantial climbs of the reveal.
Then Belgium delivered the first real jolt. Its 36 televote points became the highest score revealed so far and propelled it dramatically upward from a relatively modest jury position.
Ukraine later came close with 32, while the Netherlands collected an impressive 30. By now it was clear that the public vote was spreading its biggest scores very differently from the juries.
The countries near the top then began to falter. Germany received only 4 points, Nepal 10, Sweden 11 and Liechtenstein 15. None could produce the surge required to enter the fight for victory.
The United Kingdom fared better with 23, but still fell short.
And then only the two jury leaders remained.
Canada, sitting just one point behind Italy, received a massive 44 televote points. It was not merely the highest public score of the night, but eight points clear of second-placed Belgium. Canada rocketed to 146 points and left Italy needing an enormous response.
Italy had the final reveal.
The televote: 11 points.
The jury winner could only reach 114.
Canada had turned a one-point deficit into a 32-point victory.

The Conclusion
Few editions have drawn such a sharp line between the two halves of the voting.
Italy won the juries by the narrowest possible margin, just a single point ahead of Canada. Had the public broadly agreed with that hierarchy, the final reveal could have produced a nail-biting finish.
Instead, the public transformed the contest.
Canada's 44 points were in a different league from the scores received by its closest jury rivals. Italy managed only 11, Sweden 11 and Liechtenstein 15. The country that had come within one point of winning the juries suddenly became the overwhelming public favourite as well.
Canada therefore did not need to recover from a poor jury result. It had already come within a whisker of winning that vote.
The televote simply removed the whisker.

The Champion
This was Canada's 19th medal and the 4th of gold. Netherlands triumphed the first time in GM56 and the last time was in GM161.
Canada is one of the founding members of Global Music and has now competed 231 times, reaching 158 finals and finishing 62 times in the top 10.
Charlotte Cardin's score of 146 points is the highest score Canada has ever achieved.
Well done Canada, Charlotte Cardin and HoD Luis who wins for the 5th time, having also previously won for Portugal.

The Winner

“The Way We Touch” by Charlotte Cardin is a sultry and intimate pop song that explores the magnetic pull between two people when physical connection begins to say more than words ever could. Desire sits at the heart of the track, but there is also an emotional tension beneath the surface, capturing that intoxicating space where attraction, vulnerability and uncertainty become difficult to separate.

Musically, the song blends sleek contemporary pop with Cardin’s signature smoky atmosphere. A restrained production keeps the focus on the sensual rhythm and melody, gradually building around her distinctive, expressive vocals. Rather than chasing a huge dramatic payoff, “The Way We Touch” draws its strength from control, creating a simmering intensity that mirrors the chemistry at the centre of the song.

In terms of reception, “The Way We Touch” has drawn attention for its sleek production and Charlotte Cardin’s distinctive vocal performance. The track has connected particularly well with listeners drawn to her sophisticated, emotionally charged pop sound, with streaming and online interest helping it reach audiences beyond her established fanbase. Its combination of sensuality, restraint and an immediately memorable melody has made it another notable addition to Cardin’s growing catalogue.