Iceland’s Minister for Children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, has stepped down following revelations about a past relationship she had with a teenager more than three decades ago.
In a recent interview with local media, Thórsdóttir, now 58, admitted that she began a relationship with a 15-year-old boy when she was 22. At the time, she was a counsellor at a religious organization he attended. She later gave birth to his child when he was 16 and she was 23.
Reflecting on the situation, Thórsdóttir acknowledged that she would have handled things differently today. “It has been 36 years, and a lot has changed. I would certainly approach these issues differently now,” she stated.
Iceland’s Prime Minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, described the matter as serious but refrained from commenting on the specifics, citing the personal nature of the issue.
“This is a deeply personal matter, and out of respect for those involved, I will not discuss the details,” Frostadóttir said.
Reports indicate that the Prime Minister only became aware of the situation on Thursday night. She then summoned Thórsdóttir for a meeting, after which the minister tendered her resignation.
According to Icelandic media outlet RUV, Thórsdóttir met the teenager, identified as Eirík Ásmundsson, while working at the religious group Trú og líf (Religion and Life). The young man, who had reportedly joined due to challenges in his home life, was 15 at the time. Their relationship remained private, but Ásmundsson was present at their child’s birth and spent the first year with the child.
However, circumstances changed when Thórsdóttir entered a new relationship. RUV reports that while Ásmundsson sought legal access to his child, Thórsdóttir denied him contact but continued to receive child support from him for 18 years.
A relative of Ásmundsson reportedly attempted to alert the Prime Minister about the relationship twice last week. Upon learning the details and realizing a government minister was involved, Frostadóttir sought further clarification, leading to Thórsdóttir’s resignation.
While Iceland’s age of consent is 15, the law prohibits adults in positions of authority—including teachers, mentors, or those providing financial support—from engaging in sexual relationships with minors under 18. The offense carries a maximum prison sentence of three years.
Despite stepping down from her ministerial position, Thórsdóttir has indicated she has no intention of leaving parliament.
