An Icelandic minister has resigned after admitting she fathered a child with a teenager more than 30 years ago.
Her portfolio in the Icelandic government was childcare.
Astildur Loa Thorsdottir told the media that she began the relationship when the boy was 15 years old, and she was a 22-year-old counselor at a religious group he attended.
A year later she gave birth to a child.
"It's been 36 years since then, a lot has changed, but I would definitely do things differently today," the 58-year-old told Icelandic media.
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Icelandic Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadottir told reporters that this was a "serious matter," although she added that she was no more informed about the case than other people.
"This is a very personal matter [and] out of respect for the person concerned, I will not comment on the substance," she said.
According to the newspaper Visir, Frostadotir said she only received confirmation of the story on March 20th.
She immediately called Torsdottir to her office, where the minister resigned.
https://twitter.com/RUVfrettir/status/1902786469573382609
Icelandic news agency RUV first reported the story on Thursday evening.
Torsdottir revealed in an interview with the agency that she met the child's father, whom RUV calls Eirik Asmundson, while she was working for a religious group. Faith and life (Religion and Life), which he joined due to the allegedly difficult situation at home.
He was 15 years old and she was 22 when they met and began a relationship that would lead to the birth of a child.
RUV reports that the relationship was secret, but that Asmundson was present at the birth of his child and spent the first year with him.
However, the news agency writes that this changed when Torsdottir met her current husband.
The agency writes that it had access to documents that Asmundsson submitted to the Icelandic Ministry of Justice in which he requested access to his son, but that Torsdottir refused.
During all this time, she requested and received alimony payments from him for the next 18 years.
Asmundsson's cousin tried to contact the Icelandic prime minister twice last week regarding this.
The news agency contacted Asmundson, who did not want to give an interview, but confirmed that he and the former minister were in a romantic relationship.
He also said that he never saw himself as a victim in the whole case, but emphasized that it was difficult for him early in life when he sought help and support from the religious community.
His childhood, especially his teenage years, as well as the situation at home, were very difficult for him, he said.
In Iceland, people under the age of 18 are considered children.
According to the law, the age of consent for sexual intercourse is 15 years (previously it was 14), but this is not a uniform regulation.
It is illegal to have sex with a person under the age of 18 if you are their teacher or mentor, if they are financially dependent on you, or if they work for you.
The maximum penalty for this crime is three years in prison.
Despite resigning from her ministerial position, Torsdottir said she has no plans to leave parliament.
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