The Norwegian Nobel Committee (Den norske Nobelkomité) awards the Nobel Peace Prize each year. Its five members are appointed by the Norwegian parliament. The Director of the Nobel Institute, Professor Geir Lundestad, serves as secretary to the committee. Nobel Peace Prize (where Nobel is pronounced with the stress on the second syllable) is one of five Nobel Prizes requested by the Swedish industrialist and inventor Alfred Nobel. ... This article is part of the Politics of Norway series. ... Geir Lundestad (born in 1945) is a Norwegian historian and present Director of the Norwegian Nobel Institute and Professor of the University of Oslo. ...

Because of the potential political applications of the peace-prize the Committee is often criticized, sometimes for its perceived left-wing leanings and sometimes for its perceived right-wing leanings. In politics, left-wing, political left, leftism, or simply the left, are terms which refer (with no particular precision) to the segment of the political spectrum typically associated with any of several strains of socialism, social democracy, or liberalism (especially in the American sense of the word), or with opposition... In politics, right-wing, the political right, or simply the right, are terms which refer, with no particular precision, to the segment of the political spectrum in opposition to left-wing politics. ...

Some of the prizes may also have been received as a result of pure lobbying, the late Japanese prime minister Eisaku Sato, who shared the 1974 prize with Seán MacBride, may be the best example of this. Eisaku Sato Eisaku Sato (佐藤榮作; Satō Eisaku March 27, 1901–June 3, 1975) was a Japanese politician and the 61st, 62nd and 63rd Prime Minister of Japan, elected on November 9, 1964, and re-elected on February 17, 1967 and January 14, 1970, serving until July 7, 1972. ... Seán MacBride Seán MacBride (January 26, 1904 – January 15, 1988) was a senior Irish politician, barrister, revolutionary & statesman. ...

Current Members

• Ole Danbolt Mjøs (chairman) (born 1939), Professor dr. med. Member of the Committee since 2003. Chairman since 2003.

• Berge Furre (deputy chairman) (born 1937), professor dr. theol., former member of parliament and leader of the socialist party. Member of the Committee since 2003, Deputy Chairman since 2003.

• Sissel Marie Rønbeck (born 1950), Deputy Director, Directorate for Cultural Heritage (Riksantikvaren), former member of parliament and Cabinet Minister. Member of the Committee since 1994.

• Inger-Marie Ytterhorn (born 1941), Senior political adviser to the Progress Party's parliamentary group, former member of parliament. Member of the Committee since 2000.

• Kaci Kullmann Five (born 1951), former chairman of the Conservative Party, member of parliament and Cabinet Minister for Trade, Shipping and European Affairs. Member of the Committee since 2003.

Professor dr. ... Hey. ... 1937 was a common year starting on Friday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1950 was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1941 was a common year starting on Wednesday (link will take you to calendar). ... Kaci Kullmann Five (born April 13, 1951) is a Norwegian politician and business professional. ... 1951 was a common year starting on Monday; see its calendar. ... Høyre - Norwegian Conservative Party The Conservative Party (norwegian Høyre, H, meaning right) is a Norwegian party. ...

External links

• Norwegian Nobel Committee - official site