What’s the backstory?

In November 2017, a Swedish newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, ran a story about Jean-Claude Arnault, a leading cultural figure in Sweden, accused of allegedly sexually assaulting and harassing 18 women over a 20-year period. Arnault has since denied all accusations made against him and remains under investigation.

However, Arnault is married to Swedish Academy member and poet Katarina Frostenson, and the pair run a cultural club together. According to the The New York Times, the club has, in the past, received money from the academy.

Sara Danius, a literary historian and head of the academy (the first woman to hold the post since its foundation in 1786), had the task of deciding how the academy would react to the alleged accusations. In short, Danius made the executive decision to cut ties with Arnault and hired a law firm to investigate the business relationship between both academy and club.

But, after a three-hour meeting in Stockholm on Thursday 12 April, Danius stepped down from her position. As too, did Frostenson.

“It was the wish of the academy that I should leave my role as permanent secretary,” Danius told the Swedish press.

The Swedish Academy appointed a new head, Anders Olsson, a writer and professor of literature, the following day, after the king of Sweden and the Nobel Foundation, which funds the world’s best-known literary award, said the scandal risked damaging its reputation.

The reasons for both Danius and Frostenson stepping down remain unclear – especially since the academy’s 18 members are appointed for life and are not permitted to resign.

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