A director of Norway’s Nobel Institute has strongly criticized a Norwegian political party for allegedly exploiting the Nobel Peace Prize nomination process for political benefit. The controversy erupted after the Norwegian Centre Party announced plans to nominate Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan for the prestigious award.
According to Norwegian media, Centre Party leader Geir Lippestad revealed his intentions in a January livestream. He suggested that nominating Khan would be Norway’s most valuable contribution and urged support from the Pakistani-Norwegian community to help him secure a seat in the Storting, Norway’s parliament.
Nobel Institute’s Reaction
Norwegian newspaper NRK reported that Nobel Institute director Kristian Berg Harpviken raised serious concerns over the situation. In an article, he stated that Lippestad appears eager to gain parliamentary representation and is seeking support from the Pakistani-Norwegian community to achieve that goal.
Harpviken criticized this approach, calling it an unprecedented misuse of the Nobel Peace Prize nomination process. He warned of several consequences, including misleading the public into believing that a Norwegian politician has influence over Nobel nominations. He also stressed that such actions could weaken trust in the award’s credibility and even create security risks for both the nominee and the nominator.
Summarizing Harpviken’s concerns, NRK highlighted the following points:
Lippestad is actively seeking votes from the Pakistani-Norwegian community by using the Nobel Peace Prize nomination as a political tool.
The move could give the false impression that Norwegian politicians can directly impact who is nominated or awarded the prize.
Trust in the prize selection process could be undermined, even though nominations are strictly based on expert evaluations.
Security risks could arise for both the nominee and the person making the nomination, as nominees often face politically sensitive situations.
Unlike sitting members of parliament who sometimes disclose their nominations, Lippestad is using a future nomination as a campaign strategy.
Debate Over the Nomination Process
Defending his position, Lippestad argued that Norwegian politicians have previously discussed Nobel nominations. However, Harpviken countered that this case is different because Lippestad is not yet an elected member of the Storting and is using the Nobel Peace Prize nomination to gain political support.
The debate intensified after the Centre Party posted on social media platform X, reinforcing its stance on nominating Khan. The party also claimed to have worked with eligible nominators. This fueled speculation, especially in Indian media, that Khan had already been nominated for the award.
However, Norwegian media clarified that the Centre Party does not have the authority to submit a Nobel Peace Prize nomination. Following the Nobel Institute director’s statement, rumors surfaced online suggesting that Khan’s nomination had been rejected.
It is crucial to note that the Nobel Committee manages all nominations with strict confidentiality. The selection process is independent, and no political influence can determine who is awarded the prize.
