Nobel Committee Declines Machado Proposal to Share Peace Prize

Nobel Committee Declines Machado Proposal to Share Peace Prize

Why in News? 

The Nobel Committee declined Machado’s proposal to share the Nobel Peace Prize 2025 to Donald Trump. The Committee stated that the Nobel Peace Prize cannot be shared, transferred, or revoked. The prize is given only to the selected laureate and its ownership cannot be altered.

What was María Corina Machado’s Statement and Proposal?

• On October 10, 2025, after María Corina Machado winning the Nobel Peace Prize 2025, she made her first public statement about her award. She said she dedicated the prize to the suffering people of Venezuela and also to U.S. President Donald Trump for what she called his “decisive support” for Venezuela’s democratic cause.
• In her early statements, Machado praised Trump for what she labeled as his strong backing against the Maduro regime. She said that cooperation from the United States and its democratic allies was important for Venezuela at that moment.
• In January 2026, Machado expanded her public statements during an interview on American television. She said she would like to share her Nobel Peace Prize with Donald Trump. She framed this suggestion as a symbolic gesture of gratitude and unity on behalf of the Venezuelan people. She said the shared award would honour both her struggle and what she described as Trump’s contribution to Venezuela’s democratic transition.

Nobel Committee’s Legal Stand on Prize Ownership

• The Norwegian Nobel Committee has stated that once a Nobel Peace Prize is awarded, the decision is permanent and cannot be changed later. The Committee stated that the prize cannot be revoked, shared, or transferred to another person after the official announcement. 
• The legal basis for the non‑transferability of the Nobel Peace Prize lies in the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation. According to § 10 of the statute, no appeals can be made against the decision of the awarding body on the prize. This means that once the Committee decides on a laureate, the choice remains fixed. 
• The Norwegian Nobel Committee has also clarified that its mandate ends with the selection of the laureate for the year. The Committee does not take actions based on what the laureates say or do after they receive the prize. It will not comment on post‑award activities except in matters directly tied to administrative questions.
• Historically, no Nobel Peace Prize has ever been revoked since the awards began in 1901. The Nobel Foundation states that none of the awarding committees in Oslo (for Peace) or Stockholm (for other categories) has ever considered revoking a prize once it was formally given to someone.

Rules Governing Transfer and Sharing of the Nobel Peace Prize

• Rule of Sharing (Joint Awards): According to Section 4 of the Statutes, a prize may be awarded jointly under specific conditions: 

• • • Maximum Three Recipients: A prize can be shared by a maximum of three individuals for up to two distinct works.
    • Organizational Exception: The Peace Prize is unique because it can also be awarded to institutions or associations (e.g., the UN or Red Cross), which may comprise far more than three people.
    • Division of Funds: If there are two laureates, the prize money (11 million SEK as of 2026) is typically divided equally. For three laureates, the committee can split it equally (1/3 each) or award one-half to one and one-quarter to the other two. 

• Prohibition on Transfer: A Nobel Prize cannot be transferred to another person or entity after it has been awarded. 

• • Laureate Status: The title, medal, and diploma remain the permanent property of the original laureate.
  • Disposition of Funds: While the title is non-transferable, laureates may dispose of the prize money as they see fit, including donating it to humanitarian causes.

About the Norwegian Nobel Committee

• The Norwegian Nobel Committee is the official body responsible for selecting the Nobel Peace Prize winners each year. It was established to fulfil the instructions in Alfred Nobel’s will of 1895, which specified that the Peace Prize should be awarded by a committee “of five persons, to be elected by the Norwegian Storting (Parliament).” 
• The committee’s primary mission, according to Nobel’s will and the Statutes of the Nobel Foundation, is to award the Peace Prize to the individual or organisation that has “conferred the greatest benefit to humankind in the field of peace” during the preceding year. 
• The Committee consists of five members, appointed by the Storting for six‑year terms. Members are chosen to reflect the relative strengths of political parties in the Norwegian Parliament, but they do not represent the Parliament in their decisions. The Committee selects its own Chair and Vice Chair from among its members. 
• The Norwegian Nobel Committee operates independently. It does not answer to the Parliament once appointed. This independence is intended to allow impartial assessment of nominees without political influence.
• The Committee receives nominations from a broad but defined group of eligible nominators. Nominations must be submitted by 1 February each year for consideration in that year’s award. After nomination review and deliberation, the Committee announces the laureate usually in mid‑October, and the award is officially conferred on 10 December, the anniversary of Alfred Nobel’s death. 
• The Committee is supported by the Norwegian Nobel Institute, established in 1904, which functions as its secretariat. The Director of the Institute serves as the Committee’s secretary and provides research assistance, documentation, and logistical support throughout the selection process.