Iceland’s Minister for Children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, has resigned after publicly admitting to having a child with a teenage boy more than three decades ago.
In an interview with local media, Thórsdóttir revealed that she began a relationship with the boy when he was 15, while she was a 22-year-old counselor at a religious group he attended. She gave birth to his child when he turned 16, at which time she was 23.
“It’s been 36 years. A lot of things change in that time, and I would definitely have dealt with these issues differently today,” the 58-year-old said.
The revelation prompted a swift response from Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir, who described the situation as “a serious matter” but refrained from commenting further out of respect for those involved. She stated that she only learned of the relationship on Thursday night before summoning Thórsdóttir, who then tendered her resignation.
The Icelandic news agency RUV first reported the revelations on Thursday evening, identifying the teenage boy at the time as Eirík Ásmundsson. According to RUV, Thórsdóttir met Ásmundsson while working at the religious organization Trú og Líf (Religion and Life), which he joined due to a troubled home environment. The relationship was reportedly kept secret, though Ásmundsson was present at the birth of his son and spent the child’s first year with him.
However, documents reportedly seen by RUV indicate that Ásmundsson later applied to the justice ministry for access to his son—a request that Thórsdóttir denied. Despite this, he was required to make child support payments for 18 years.
A relative of Ásmundsson allegedly contacted the prime minister twice last week about the matter. Frostadóttir stated that she pursued the case only after learning that a government minister was involved, leading to Thórsdóttir’s full disclosure and resignation.
Although Iceland’s age of consent is 15, the law prohibits sexual relationships with individuals under 18 when the older party holds a position of power or trust, such as a teacher, mentor, or employer. Violating this law carries a maximum penalty of three years in prison.
Despite stepping down as minister, Thórsdóttir confirmed that she has no intention of vacating her seat in parliament.
