Iceland’s Minister for Children, Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir, has resigned following revelations about a relationship she had with a teenage boy more than three decades ago.
The 58-year-old minister admitted in a media interview that she began a relationship with a 15-year-old boy when she was 22 and working as a counsellor at a religious group he attended. She gave birth to his child when he was 16 and 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,” Thórsdóttir told Icelandic media.
Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir described the situation as “a serious matter” but indicated she knew little more than what had been publicly reported.
“This is a very personal matter and out of respect for the person concerned, I will not comment on the substance,” the Prime Minister stated.
According to Visir newspaper, Frostadóttir only received confirmation of the story on Thursday night. She immediately called Thórsdóttir to her office, where the minister tendered her resignation.
The resignation has caused significant political upheaval, particularly given Thórsdóttir’s position overseeing children’s welfare in the Icelandic government.
Neither the Prime Minister’s office nor Thórsdóttir have provided further details about arrangements for her replacement at this time.
Source: BBC
Featured image: RUV.is
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