It's looking increasingly like this year's Nobel Prize in literature won't be presented as a result of the #metoo movement. The Swedish Academy, the institution responsible for selecting the recipients is in a complete state of disarray.
It all started late last year, when old accusations against Jean-Claude Arnault, who is married to Academy member Katarina Frostenson, was brought up again. He has had a cultural centre in Stockholm, regularly visited by Academy members, and receiving monetary support from the Academy. It was revealed that the Academy was made aware of accusations against him as early as 1997, but that the Permanent Secretary at the time (Sture Allén) didn't think it was important enough to investigate. When this was brought up this time it caused a split within the Academy, and the current Permanent Secretary Sara Danius (who has since resigned from her post) ordered a full investigation. There have been further accusations towards Arnault and his wife, among them that he has revealed Nobel Prize winners in advance. Three Academy members left when they disagreed with how the Academy had handled the whole affair. The power struggle between more conservative members and members who wished to modernize the Academy has played out in full media glare. Permament Secretary Sara Danius finally resigned, and at the same time Katarina Frostenson agreed to step down. The Academy finally agreed to hand over their investigation to the authorities, and The Swedish Economic Crime Authority is now investigating the Academy. And tonight, the youngest member, Sara Stridsberg, a supporter of Sara Danius, announced that she has handed in her resignation. This leaves only 10 members, and for the Academy to function, according to it's own rules, there has to be at least 12.
The Swedish king has now taken on the task of modernizing the Academy and it's rules. Up till now each member has had his/her seat for life, and resigning hasn't been an option, but all this is most likely going to change.
The status and reputation of the Academy has taken a severe hit in public opinion here, and it will take a long time to regain that, if it's even possible. Personally I feel that it's the wrong members who have left, and that the Academy won't recover unless other members, who are seemingly more interested in hanging on to the prestige and financial benefits of Acadmey membership than modernizing it, leave.