Hungary President Katalin Novak resigns after pardoning man in child sex abuse case
- Her decision to show clemency to a man who hid a string of abuses in a state-run children’s home prompted more than a week of public outrage
- Novak, a key ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, was the first woman president in Hungary’s history, and the youngest person to ever hold the office
Hungary’s conservative president has resigned amid public outcry over a pardon she granted to a man convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case, a decision that unleashed an unprecedented political scandal for the long-serving nationalist government.
Katalin Novak, 46, announced in a televised message on Saturday that she would step down from the presidency, an office she has held since 2022.
Her decision came after more than a week of public outrage after it was revealed that she issued a presidential pardon in April 2023 to a man convicted of hiding a string of child sexual abuses in a state-run children’s home.
“I issued a pardon that caused bewilderment and unrest for many people,” Novak said on Saturday. “I made a mistake.”
Novak’s resignation came as a rare piece of political turmoil for Hungary’s nationalist governing party Fidesz, which has ruled with a constitutional majority since 2010. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Fidesz has been accused of dismantling democratic institutions and rigging the electoral system and media in its favour.