Iceland's Minister for Children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, has resigned after admitting to having a child with a teenager over 30 years ago.
In a media interview, Thórsdóttir, now 58, revealed that she began a relationship with a 15-year-old boy when she was a 22-year-old counselor at a religious group he attended. She later gave birth to their child when she was 23 and he was 16 years old.
Reflecting on the situation, Thórsdóttir acknowledged, “It's been 36 years, a lot has changed in that time, and I would definitely handle things differently today."
Iceland’s Prime Minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, addressed the issue, calling it "a serious matter," though she mentioned she knew only as much as the general public. She further stated, “This is a very personal matter, and out of respect for the individual, I will not comment on the specifics."
According to Visir newspaper, Frostadóttir confirmed she was made aware of the situation on Thursday evening, prompting her to meet with Thórsdóttir immediately. Following their conversation, the minister resigned.
The story was initially broken by the Icelandic news agency RUV. Thórsdóttir shared in her interview with RUV that she met the boy, identified as Eirík Ásmundsson, while working at the religious group Trú og líf (Religion and Life), which Ásmundsson had reportedly joined due to a troubled home life. At the time, he was 15 and she was 22. Their son was born when both were a year older.
RUV reports that the relationship was kept secret, although Ásmundsson was present at the birth and spent the first year of their child's life with them. However, their situation changed when Thórsdóttir met her current husband.
According to RUV, Ásmundsson later sought legal access to his son but was denied by Thórsdóttir, who also requested and received child support payments from him over the course of 18 years.
A relative of Ásmundsson attempted to contact the Icelandic Prime Minister last week regarding the relationship. Frostadóttir said that when it was revealed that the story involved a government minister, she requested further details, which ultimately led to the resignation.
In her interview, Thórsdóttir expressed her upset that the relative had contacted the Prime Minister. “I understand how it looks,” she said, adding that “it’s very difficult to get the right story across in the news today."
While the age of consent in Iceland is 15, it is illegal for teachers or mentors to engage in sexual relations with someone under 18 if they are financially dependent on them or work for them. The penalty for this offense can be up to three years in prison.
Despite stepping down from her ministerial role, Thórsdóttir stated that she has no intention of leaving her position in parliament.
