The President of Iceland has accepted the resignation of the country’s Minister for Children following revelations of her involvement with a teenager more than three decades ago. Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir stepped down after a national broadcaster disclosed that she had a child 35 years ago when she was 23 and the father was 16. The relationship reportedly began when the two met at a church youth group, with the teenager being 15 at the time.
Iceland’s legal age of consent is 15, but it is prohibited for an adult to engage in sexual activity with a teenager they have authority over, such as teaching or mentoring. Thórsdóttir acknowledged the relationship in a statement, explaining that although she was part of the church group, she was not a leader and that such relationships were not uncommon back then, though not encouraged.
The affair lasted only a few weeks, and the father was present at the birth of their child. Reports indicate that the father sought contact with their son through government and church channels but was only granted occasional visits, despite providing child support for 18 years. Thórsdóttir officially resigned during a meeting of the State Council on Sunday, which includes government officials and President Halla Tómasdóttir.
Even though she has stepped down from her ministerial position, Thórsdóttir continues to serve as a legislator for the People’s Party within the coalition government led by Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir of the Social Democratic Alliance. Iceland, known for its volcanic landscapes and historic Viking roots, boasts a population of less than 400,000 and is home to one of the world’s oldest parliaments, established in 930 by Viking settlers.
