Iceland’s Education Minister Resigns Amid Controversy Over Past Relationship

Reykjavik, Iceland - Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, Iceland’s Minister for Children and Education, has announced her resignation after revelations regarding a relationship she had as a young woman. Over three decades ago, Thórsdóttir engaged in a romantic relationship with a 15-year-old boy, resulting in the birth of their son when she was 23 and he was 16. This information emerged from Icelandic media reports on Thursday.

The relationship began while Thórsdóttir was working as a counselor for a religious group, according to Iceland's public broadcaster RUV. The age of consent in Iceland is set at 15, but the law prohibits adults in positions of authority from engaging in sexual relations with individuals under 18, which could result in severe legal consequences.

The young father of Thórsdóttir’s child has stated that he does not consider himself a victim, explaining he sought support from the church group during a challenging time in his life. The couple kept their relationship secret, and while he was present for the birth, his contact with their son diminished significantly before the child turned one. Despite this, he was obligated to pay child support for 18 years.

Reports indicate that the father sought help from the Ministry of Justice and from family services related to the church in an effort to gain visitation rights. However, Thórsdóttir reportedly denied him access.

Following the publication of these details, Thórsdóttir tendered her resignation from her ministerial position. She will remain a member of parliament representing the People’s Party. The Prime Minister of Iceland, Kristrún Frostadóttir, stated that Thórsdóttir met with the country’s three party leaders before making the decision to resign.

“We discussed the options together and heard her account of the matter in detail for the first time at that meeting,” Frostadóttir said during a news conference Friday. She emphasized that Thórsdóttir took responsibility for her actions by resigning, indicating that the situation was unfortunate but not related to ongoing governmental work.

Thórsdóttir has denied allegations claiming she prevented the father from establishing contact with their son. Heimir Már Pétursson, the head of communications for the People’s Party, reiterated that the two had met in a youth program known as Christian Open House. Pétursson also noted that Thórsdóttir was not responsible for leading the program at that time and, therefore, had no formal obligations toward the young man.

Under Icelandic law at the time of their relationship, individuals gained independence at the age of 16 and could legally consent to sexual activity at 14. Thórsdóttir’s resignation is set to take effect on Sunday, pending confirmation from the President of Iceland at a State Council meeting.