Following last year's unprecedented developments involving Venezuelan leader María Corina Machado presenting her gold Nobel medal to President Trump, analysts from the Peace Research Institute Oslo (PRIO) observe that the five-member committee will prioritize protecting potential laureates from external political coercion. According to PRIO Acting Director Håkon Yearlo and Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) Director Karim Haggag, top contenders for the October 9 announcement include Pope Leo for his advocacy on humanitarian ethics and artificial intelligence, UN Special Rapporteur Francesca Albanese, the International Criminal Court (ICC), the International Court of Justice (ICJ), and grassroots humanitarian networks such as Sudan's Emergency Response Rooms and Save the Children. Despite nominations submitted by leaders from Cambodia, Israel, and Pakistan, experts maintain that the committee is likely to reaffirm international law, liberal democracy, and multilateral peacebuilding efforts.