Hungarian President Katalin Novák Resigns Amid Controversial Pardon in Child Sex Abuse Case
Hungarian President Katalin Novák has announced her resignation after facing widespread criticism for issuing a pardon last year to a man convicted in a child sex abuse case. The decision, which recently came to light, stirred public outcry and led to protests, demanding Novák’s removal from office.
In a televised statement on Saturday, Novák acknowledged her mistake, stating that the pardon had caused “bewilderment and unrest for many people.” The controversial decision was based on Novák’s belief that the convicted man “did not abuse the vulnerability of the children entrusted to him.” However, she noted concerns about the lack of justification, raising doubts about maintaining a zero-tolerance stance against pedophilia.
The pardon was granted to the former deputy director of a state-run children’s home, sentenced to over three years in prison in 2018 for concealing a sex abuse scandal involving the home’s former director. Novák’s resignation follows a week of protests outside her presidential office in Budapest, with public dissatisfaction intensifying as details of the pardon emerged.
Judit Varga, Hungary’s former justice minister and a supporter of Novák’s pardon, also announced her resignation from the Hungarian parliament and retirement from public life.
Novák, elected as Hungary’s president in 2022, holds the distinction of being the first woman and youngest person to assume the presidency at the age of 44.
In response to the public outrage, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán proposed a constitutional amendment on Thursday, aiming to prevent the sitting president from issuing pardons related to crimes against children. Novák expressed her intention to sign the amendment into law.
The background of the controversy involves Novák’s election on a platform advocating conservative, traditional family values. As a key ally of Prime Minister Orbán, she previously served as the vice president of Fidesz, Hungary’s governing right-wing political party, and held the position of Hungary’s minister for families.
Last week, Hungarian media uncovered Novák’s pardon for the individual involved in a child sex abuse scandal at a state-run children’s home in Bicske, Hungary. The man was convicted in 2018 for his role in the scandal, where the home’s director, sentenced to eight years in prison, molested several children between 2004 and 2016. The man also coerced some victims into retracting their claims of sexual abuse, leading to widespread protests and calls for Novák’s resignation.
As Hungary grapples with the aftermath of this controversy, the resignation of both President Novák and former Justice Minister Varga marks a significant development in the country’s political landscape. The proposed constitutional amendment underscores efforts to address public concerns and prevent future controversies surrounding presidential pardons for crimes against children.