Iceland’s minister for kids has resigned after admitting she had a baby with a youngster greater than 30 years in the past.
Ásthildur Lóa Thórsdóttir stated in a media interview she had first began a relationship when the boy was 15 years outdated, and he or she was a 22-year-old counsellor at a spiritual group which he attended.
She then gave beginning to his youngster when he was 16 years outdated and he or she was 23.
“It has been 36 years, a variety of issues change in that point and I’d undoubtedly have handled these points in another way as we speak,” the 58-year-old informed Icelandic media.
Iceland’s prime minister, Kristrún Frostadóttir, informed the press this was “a critical matter”, though she stated she knew little greater than “the typical particular person”.
“This can be a very private matter [and] out of respect for the particular person involved, I can’t touch upon the substance,” she stated.
In response to Visir newspaper, Frostadóttir stated she had solely obtained affirmation of the story on Thursday evening.
She instantly summoned the youngsters’s minister to her workplace, the place she resigned.
Icelandic information company RUV broke the story on Thursday evening.
Thórsdóttir revealed in an interview with them that she had met the daddy, who RUV identify as Eirík Ásmundsson, whereas she was working on the spiritual group Trú og líf (Faith and Life), which he had reportedly joined due to a tough dwelling life.
He was 15 years outdated and he or she was 22 on the time of their assembly. Thórsdóttir gave beginning to their son after they have been each a yr older.
RUV report that the connection was secret, however that Ásmundsson was current at his kid’s beginning and spent the primary yr with him.
Nevertheless, the information company writes this modified when Thórsdóttir met her present husband.
They report they’ve seen paperwork Ásmundsson submitted to Iceland’s justice ministry requesting entry to his son, however that Thórsdóttir denied it, whereas additionally requesting – and receiving – youngster help funds from him over the next 18 years.
A relative of Ásmundsson tried twice to contact the Icelandic prime minister concerning the relationship final week.
Frostadóttir stated final evening that when the girl revealed it concerned a authorities minister she requested for extra data, which led to the revelation and the resignation.
In her TV interview with RUV final evening, Thórsdóttir stated she was upset that the girl had contacted the prime minister.
“I perceive… what it appears to be like like,” she stated, including that it’s “very tough to get the suitable story throughout within the information as we speak”.
Whereas the age of consent in Iceland is 15, it’s unlawful to have intercourse with an individual below the age of 18 if you’re their instructor or mentor, if they’re financially depending on you, or give you the results you want. The utmost sentence for this crime is three years in jail.
Regardless of resigning from her ministerial job, Thórsdottir stated she had no plans to go away parliament.
