Belgium in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998

Belgium participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998 with the song "Dis oui" written by Philippe Swan. The song was performed by Mélanie Cohl. The Walloon broadcaster Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF) returned to the Eurovision Song Contest after a one-year absence following their relegation from 1997 as one of the six countries with the least average points over the preceding four contests. The Belgian entry for the 1998 contest in Birmingham, United Kingdom was selected through the national final Finale Nationale Concours Eurovision de la Chanson 1998, organised by RTBF. In the final on 13 March 1998 which featured ten competing entries, "Dis oui" performed by Mélanie Cohl was selected as the winner solely by public televoting, receiving 15,424 votes.

Belgium competed in the Eurovision Song Contest which took place on 9 May 1998. Performing during the show in position 20, Belgium placed sixth out of the 25 participating countries, scoring 122 points.

Background
Prior to the 1998 contest, Belgium had participated in the Eurovision Song Contest forty times since its debut as one of seven countries to take part in. Since then, the country has won the contest on one occasion in with the song "J'aime la vie" performed by Sandra Kim. In 1996, Lisa del Bo represented the country with the song "Liefde is een kaartspel" and placed sixteenth.

The Belgian broadcaster for the 1998 contest, who broadcast the event in Belgium and organised the selection process for its entry, was Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française (RTBF). The Belgian participation in the contest alternates between two broadcasters: the Flemish Vlaamse Radio- en Televisieomroeporganisatie (VRT) and the Walloon RTBF. Both broadcasters have selected the Belgian entry using national finals and internal selections in the past. In 1995 and 1996, both VRT and RTBF organised a national final to select the Belgian entry. RTBF held a national final to select their entry for the 1998 Eurovision Song Contest.

Finale Nationale Concours Eurovision de la Chanson 1998
Finale Nationale Concours Eurovision de la Chanson 1998 was the national final that selected Belgium's entry in the Eurovision Song Contest 1998. 128 entries were received for the competition following a submission period, from which ten acts were selected by a committee chaired by Head of the RTBF variety and entertainment department Pierre Meyer and announced on 12 December 1997. The national final took place on 13 March 1998 at the RTBF Studio 6 in Brussels, hosted by Jean-Pierre Hautier and broadcast on La Une. The winner, "Dis oui" performed by Mélanie Cohl, was selected solely by public televoting with the results being revealed by Belgium's six regions: four provinces in Wallonia with votes from Namur and Luxembourg being combined, a "Rest of Belgium" region made up of votes from Flanders, and Brussels.

At Eurovision
According to Eurovision rules, all nations with the exceptions of the eight countries which had obtained the lowest average number of points over the last five contests competed in the final on 9 May 1998. On 13 November 1997, an allocation draw was held which determined the running order and Belgium was set to perform in position 20, following the entry from Sweden and before the entry from Finland. The day before the contest, Belgium was considered one of the favourites among bookmakers to win the competition, featuring alongside the entries from, , and the. Belgium finished in sixth place with 122 points.

The contest was broadcast in Belgium by both the Flemish and Walloon broadcasters. VRT broadcast the show on TV1 and Radio 2 with commentary in Dutch by André Vermeulen and Andrea Croonenberghs. RTBF televised the show on La Une with commentary in French by Jean-Pierre Hautier. The Belgian spokesperson, who announced the results of the Belgian televote during the final, was Marie-Hélène Vanderborght.

Voting
Below is a breakdown of points awarded to Belgium and awarded by Belgium in the contest. The nation awarded its 12 points to the Netherlands in the contest.