Hungary's Conservative President Resigns Amid Pardon Scandal (Video)

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In a shocking turn of events, Hungary’s conservative president, Katalin Novák, announced her resignation on Saturday following a public outcry over a controversial pardon she granted. The decision to pardon a man convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case caused unprecedented political scandal for the long-serving nationalist government led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán.

Novák, who had held the presidency since 2022, made the announcement in a televised message, acknowledging her mistake and expressing regret for the turmoil caused by her decision. The pardon, issued in April 2023, involved a man convicted of concealing multiple instances of child sexual abuse in a state-run children’s home.

The resignation marks a rare episode of political turmoil for Orbán’s ruling Fidesz party, which has dominated Hungarian politics with a constitutional majority since 2010. Fidesz has faced criticism for alleged erosion of democratic institutions, election manipulation, and control over the media.

Novák, a prominent ally of Orbán and a former vice president of Fidesz, previously served as the minister for families before assuming the presidency. She had been known for her advocacy of traditional family values and child protection. Novák’s presidency was historic as she was the first female president in Hungary’s history and the youngest person to hold the office.

The scandal unfolded as the man who received the presidential pardon had been sentenced to over three years in prison in 2018 for pressuring victims to retract their claims of sexual abuse by the institution’s director. The director himself had received an eight-year sentence for abusing at least 10 children between 2004 and 2016.

The fallout from the scandal also implicated Judit Varga, another influential figure within Fidesz who held the position of justice minister at the time and endorsed the controversial pardon. Varga expressed political responsibility and announced her retirement from public life, resigning from her parliamentary seat and also stepping down as the leader of Fidesz’s European Parliament list.

While Novák’s resignation was welcomed by some, with around 200 people gathering outside the presidential headquarters to demand her departure, many expressed the sentiment that her resignation alone would not significantly alter Orbán’s governance system. Critics called for accountability at the highest levels of government.

Prime Minister Orbán’s Fidesz party remains popular in Hungary, having secured four consecutive election victories. However, the government has faced criticism within the European Union for its alignment with the Kremlin and obstruction of key decisions, such as support for Ukraine and Sweden’s admission into the NATO military alliance.

In response to Novák and Varga’s resignation, Máté Kocsis, the head of Fidesz’s parliamentary delegation, issued a statement expressing gratitude for their work and characterizing their decisions as responsible. The future implications of the scandal on Orbán’s government and Fidesz’s political dominance remain to be seen.