The European Union’s culture chief hit out at Eurovision for banning performers from waving the EU flag, saying Europeans should not need permission to celebrate their identity.

The circle of stars was forbidden at last year’s event in Malmö along with other non-national flags, drawing a sharp rebuke from Brussels. This year, the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation and the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes Eurovision, relented somewhat, allowing fans to wave the EU flag at the musical contest — but not artists.  

Culture Commissioner Glenn Micallef told POLITICO that excluding the EU’s flag from this year’s contest in Basel, Switzerland was not good enough.

“The European flag stands for our values, for our European identity, for inclusion — and for the citizenship of nearly half a billion people,” he said. “If national flags belong on stage, the European flag does too.”

Only national flags of participating countries are allowed on stage, in green rooms and on the turquoise carpet, where artists make their grand entrance. The same prohibition applies to other flags, such as the rainbow flag, which has previously been a frequent staple at the contest.

“Young Europeans should not need permission to wave their flag,” Micallef added. “If the EBU keeps it off the stage, let them make it the loudest symbol in the crowd!”

Eurovision has long billed itself as apolitical, though in practice politics often rears its head at the contest, which is televised in dozens of countries and viewed by hundreds of millions globally.

Ahead of last year’s final, thousands of protesters waving Palestinian flags gathered in Malmö. When Israel’s contestant Eden Golan took the stage, she received a torrent of boos and cheers.