When peace sparks a debate: Storms behind the Nobel calm

Just like controversial winners stir debate, so do notable absences. The most conspicuous omission, Mahatma Gandhi, never received the prize

- ADITYA MUKHERJEE

Speculation that US President Donald Trump might receive the 2025 Nobel Peace Prize finally ended when the award was given to Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado.

That outcome is just the latest chapter in what has long been a contentious history for the Nobel Peace Prizeone marked by criticism of its selections, questions about politics, and debates over what "peace work" really means.

Trump made no secret of his desire to win the Nobel Peace Prize. He has publicly claimed numerous times that he "deserves" it, citing what he describes as ceasefire agreements and diplomatic breakthroughs in conflicts like Gaza, India-Pakistan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo-assertions that are often contested by analysts. He even reportedly called Norway's finance minister unsolicited to ask about the prize.

Prediction markets had at times given him a real chance of winning in 2025, and some of his supporters-including foreign leaders-nominated him. Still, major polls in the US showed that most Americans believed he does not deserve it: one Washington Post-Ipsos poll found that 76% of respondents said Trump "does not merit" the honour. In a recent development, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has decided to nominate Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.