STOCKHOLM — The Nobel Prize in Literature always draws great interest, but the organization behind the prestigious award finds itself in the throes of a high-profile crisis so severe that it has decided not to pick a winner this year.

The award will be postponed until next year, when the academy plans to name two laureates.

The Swedish Academy, the Stockholm-based organization that awards the prize, is struggling to cope with a situation completely at odds with its reputation as a distinguished advocate of literary excellence.

With its echoes of the #MeToo movement, the scandal has prompted the intervention of the Swedish king to deal with its multifaceted nature — allegations of sexual harassment, the suggestion that women were taking the fall for the misdeeds of men, and the departure of several board members.

This will be the first time since World War II that the prize is withheld. (The decision will not affect the other Nobel Prizes, which are chosen by other institutions.)