Education and Children’s Affairs Minister of Iceland, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir quit her job after admitting that at the age of 22 she had a hidden child with a 16-year-old boy. Her admission during an interview on Icelandic news service Visir stunned the nation.
Shocking Admission by Iceland Minister
Thórsdóttir, 58, revealed that she was in a relationship with Eiríkur Ásmundsson, who was 15 when she met him. She was counseling at a support group when their relationship started. She was 23 when she gave birth to their child and he was only 16 years old.
“It’s because 36 years ago I was 22 years old and in a relationship with a man who was much younger than me, sixteen years old,” she explained to the local press.
The information came out after she was asked why she resigned. Thórsdóttir made excuses, that she has developed over the years.
“It’s been 36 years and a lot of things change in that time and I would definitely have dealt with these issues differently today than I had the skills and maturity to do when I was 22,” she said.
Eiríkur Ásmundsson has blamed Thórsdóttir for keeping him from seeing his son—an accusation she vehemently denied. Sources close to them indicate that they had a short-lived relationship, although he was with her during the birth of the child.
Legal Concerns and Political Repercussions
The scandal grew more heated as Icelandic law strictly forbids adults in authority, including teachers and mentors, from having relationships with youths under 18. It is punishable by up to three years’ jail time.
Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir described the situation as “serious” and accepted that she knew more about the case than the general public.
“This is a very personal matter [and] out of respect for the person concerned, I will not comment on the substance,” she said to the British news service BBC.
Resignation Due to Political Pressure
It was reported that the relative of Ásmundsson tried to reach Iceland’s Prime Minister over the scandal. Consequently, Thórsdóttir resigned, citing fears the matter would dominate government business.
“We know what the news is like today, and we know that issues like this, if I remained minister, would be brought up again and again, and there would never really be any peace in the government,” she said.
Her resignation has led to heated discussions throughout Iceland regarding ethics, the law, and the duties of public servants. While some understand her admission of previous errors, others believe that she deserves further investigation.
Thórsdóttir’s resignation is a pivotal political moment for Iceland. The story has reopened debate about power relations, consent legislation, and accountability by government officials. With investigations continuing, the Icelandic public remains split regarding how this revelation affects her legacy and the larger political landscape.
