How The Nobel Committee Works

MICHELE NORRIS, Host:

With this surprise pick, there are lots of questions today about how the peace prize winner is chosen. Here's what we've learned.

MELISSA BLOCK, Host:

The winner is picked by a committee made up of five Norwegians who are elected by the Norwegian Parliament or Storting. This year's committee is made up of four women and one man.

NORRIS: Who can nominate? Well, members of national assemblies and governments, members of international courts at the Hague, former Nobel Peace Prize laureates, past and present members of the Nobel committee, also, some university professors and directors of peace research institutes and institutes of international affairs.

BLOCK: Nominations must be received by February 1st. This year the committee received the highest number of nominations ever: 205. Thirty-three of those were organizations rather than individuals.

NORRIS: The Nobel committee usually picks its winner by mid September, but not always. The five committee members try to reach a unanimous choice. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright NPR.