Hungary’s president resigns over child abuser pardon controversy
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Hungarian President Katalin Novak resigned after saying she had made a mistake over the granting of a pardon to a man implicated in a child sexual abuse case.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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BUDAPEST - Hungarian President Katalin Novak, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, announced her resignation on Feb 10, following outrage over a pardon granted to a man implicated in a child sexual abuse case.
Soon afterwards, another Orban supporter, former justice minister Judit Varga, announced she was withdrawing from public life over the affair.
The announcements followed growing pressure from opposition politicians and protests outside the presidential palace on the evening of Feb 9.
“I am resigning (from) my post,” said 46-year-old Ms Novak, acknowledging she had made a mistake.
“I apologise to those who I hurt and all the victims who may have had the impression that I did not support them,” the former minister for family policy added.
“I am, I was, and I will remain in favour of protecting children and families.”
Ms Novak became the first woman to hold the essentially ceremonial role of president in March 2022.
The controversy was sparked by the pardon granted to a former deputy director of a children’s home. He had helped to cover up his boss’ sexual abuse of the children in their charge.
The decision was made in April 2023, during a visit by Pope Francis to Budapest, but caught the public’s attention over the past few days when independent news site 444 revealed the decision in early February, and had the country’s opposition calling for Ms Novak’s resignation.
On the evening of Feb 9, demonstrators gathered outside the presidential palace, and three presidential advisers quit their posts.
Protesters gathering outside the presidential palace in Budapest to demand the resignation of Hungarian President Katalin Novak.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Orban must ‘take responsibility’
Ms Novak, who had been in Qatar to attend Hungary’s match against Kazakhstan at the World Water Polo Championships on Feb 9, swiftly returned to Budapest.
As soon as her plane landed, she emerged and announced her resignation.
“The pardon granted and the lack of explanation may have given rise to doubts about zero tolerance of paedophilia,” she said. “But there can be no doubt on this subject,” she added, before offering her apologies.
Minutes after her announcement, another ally of Mr Orban, Ms Judit Varga, also announced her “withdrawal from public life”.
As justice minister, a post she quit in order to lead a European Parliament election bid, she had approved the pardon.
“I renounce my mandate as an MP and the head of the list for the European Parliament,” she said on Facebook.
“It was quick: first Novak, then Varga,” said Hungarian Member of European Parliament Anna Donath, reacting to the news.
“But we know that no important decision can be taken in Hungary without Viktor Orban’s approval,” added Ms Donath, a member of the small liberal Momentum party, on Facebook.
“He has to take responsibility and explain what happened... It’s his system.”
In an attempt to calm national anger, Mr Orban announced on Feb 8 that he wanted to revise Hungary’s Constitution to exclude the possibility of pardoning paedophile criminals.
Ms Novak, who has been temporarily replaced by Speaker of Parliament Laszlo Kover, was named in 2023 by Forbes magazine as the most influential woman in Hungarian public life.
Her departure leaves Hungary’s political landscape even more male-dominated.
Since mid-2023, there have been no women in Mr Orban’s 16-man Cabinet. AFP
