Norway’s Nobel Committee navigates Global Tensions and High-profile Nominations
The Norwegian Nobel Committee is facing a particularly complex year as it deliberates the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize, amidst ongoing global conflicts, democratic backsliding, and intense scrutiny surrounding potential nominees - including former US president Donald Trump.
Committee member Jostein Frydnes has emphasized the committee’s commitment to impartiality, stating that attempts at influence are counterproductive. “Thes types of influence campaigns have a rather more negative effect than a positive one, because we talk about it on the committee. Some candidates push for it really hard, and we do not like it,” he told The National.He further stressed the committee’s preference for working “in a locked room without being attempted to be influenced.”
While Frydnes acknowledged the attention surrounding Trump and the MAGA political movement, he has not indicated whether he would support Trump’s candidacy.
The current geopolitical landscape adds weight to the committee’s decisions. Frydnes acknowledged the global focus on the prize, stating that “the world is listening, and the world is discussing, and discussing how we can achieve peace is a good thing.” He affirmed the committee’s resolve to ”stay strong and principled in our choices… that’s our job.”
However, concerns are growing within Norway regarding potential repercussions should Trump not be awarded the prize. The US has already implemented a 15 percent tariff on Norwegian exports.Moreover, the Trump administration expressed displeasure after Norway’s sovereign wealth fund – valued at approximately $2 trillion – announced its divestment from US company Caterpillar due to its ties to Israel’s actions in Gaza. Despite these tensions, Foreign Minister Espen Barth Eide clarified to Bloomberg on October 3rd that the Norwegian government does not interfere with the Nobel Peace Prize selection process.
this year, the committee received a total of 338 nominations: 244 individuals and 94 organizations. The committee maintains strict confidentiality regarding nominees,neither confirming names to the media nor to the candidates themselves.
Several contenders are emerging as potential recipients. Sudan’s Emergency Response Rooms, a volunteer network providing crucial aid to civilians in the war-torn country, and Yulia Navalnaya, the widow of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexey Navalny, are considered strong possibilities. According to bookmakers like Ladbrokes, Trump and the Sudanese group are currently the frontrunners.
Nina Graeger, director of the Peace Research Institute Oslo, highlighted the Emergency Response Rooms as a particularly deserving candidate. she explained that these local organizers are providing essential services like communal kitchens, evacuations, medical care, and infrastructure repair to communities affected by the conflict. Awarding the prize to such an initiative would, according to Graeger, “highlight the critical importance of access to lifesaving aid in times of conflict, and the power of everyday citizens to serve humanity in tough times.”
Graeger also identified the Committee to protect Journalists as a worthy recipient,arguing that recognizing their work would send a powerful message about the importance of a free press for peace and democracy,particularly in conflict zones.
