Hungary’s first female president, Katalin Novak, has tendered her resignation in the wake of increasing pressure following her controversial decision to pardon a man convicted of covering up sexual abuse in a children’s home.
The 46-year-old president, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, and the youngest person to hold the office, stepped down just a week after reports surfaced about her granting a pardon in a case that triggered public outrage and calls for accountability.
The revelation led to demands from the opposition for both President Novak and former Justice Minister Judit Varga to resign. Varga, a prominent figure in Orban’s ruling Fidesz party, had already resigned as a lawmaker on Saturday.
In a televised announcement, President Novak acknowledged her mistake and announced her resignation, stating, “I made a mistake… Today is the last day that I address you as a president.” She cut short an official visit to Qatar and returned to Budapest unexpectedly.
Novak had granted a pardon last April to a man convicted of covering up sexual abuse in a children’s home. The decision sparked widespread criticism, with many questioning the zero-tolerance policy for paedophilia in Hungary.
Addressing the controversy, Novak mentioned, “I made a decision to grant a pardon last April believing that the convict did not abuse the vulnerability of children whom he had overseen. I made a mistake as the pardon and the lack of reasoning was suitable to trigger doubts over the zero tolerance that applies to paedophilia.”
