Iceland Minister Resigns After Revealing Past Relationship with Teenager

Iceland's Minister for Children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, has stepped down after admitting to having a child with a teenager during a past relationship. The revelation has incited a significant public and political response, leading to her resignation.

Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Children, announced her resignation on Thursday after disclosing that she had a child with a teenager over three decades ago. The 58-year-old former minister revealed this relationship began when she was 22 and the boy, Eirík Ásmundsson, was 15, during an interview with Icelandic news agency RUV. She later gave birth to their son when both were 23 and 16, respectively. Thórsdóttir reflected on the situation, expressing that many things have changed in 36 years and she would have approached it differently today.

In response to the scandal, Iceland's Prime Minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, commented that this situation is "serious", although her knowledge of the matter was limited to what the public knew. She stated that the issue was a personal one, and she had received confirmation of the story only shortly before Thórsdóttir's resignation. The minister met with Frostadóttir, leading to her immediate resignation.

The relationship between Thórsdóttir and Ásmundsson was reportedly kept secret, with documents indicating that he sought access to their child but was denied, while Thórsdóttir received child support for 18 years. Although the age of consent in Iceland is 15, the law prohibits sexual relations between mentors or teachers and their dependents if they are under 18, carrying a potential three-year prison sentence.

Despite stepping down from her ministerial position, Thórsdóttir has indicated that she does not plan to resign from her parliamentary role. The incident has raised questions surrounding the roles and responsibilities of public figures in Icelandic society, especially when it comes to past relationships and statutory laws.