Hungary: President Katalin Novak resigns after scandal caused by pardon
Hungarian President Katalin Novak, close to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, resigned this Saturday, February 10 after the indignation caused by her decision to pardon a convict involved in a child crime case.
Katalin Novak (here in April 2023) admitted “a mistake”. AP - Andrew Medichini
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presented her last year as the most influential woman in public life in Hungary. Two years after becoming the country's first president, Katalin Novak announced her resignation this Saturday. “
I made a mistake
,” admitted the person concerned in a speech broadcast by national television. “
Today is the last day I address you as president
.”
The controversy was provoked by the pardon granted in April 2023, on the occasion of
Pope Francis' visit to Budapest
, to a former deputy director of a children's home, sentenced in 2022 to more than three years in prison for having covered up the sexual assaults on minors allegedly committed by his superior. Since the revelation of this decision last week by the investigative site 444, the scandal has continued to mount. Thousands of demonstrators gathered Friday evening in front of the presidential palace and three of the presidential advisers left their posts.
“
The pardon granted and the lack of explanations may have raised doubts regarding zero tolerance in matters of pedophilia. But there can be no doubt on this subject
,” underlined the 46-year-old manager, before presenting her “
apologies
” to those she may have hurt. Almost at the same time, Judit Varga, another ally of
Prime Minister Viktor Orban
, announced her "
withdrawal from public life
" for having given her endorsement as Minister of Justice - a post she had left this summer for lead the European campaign.
Propaganda
A scenario that was unthinkable just a few days ago. “
What is fascinating is that government propaganda, until very recently, had succeeded in covering up the matter. Just a few days ago, a survey indicated that 50% of the population had not heard of it
,” remarks Paul Gradvohl, professor of history at Panthéon-Sorbonne University, speaking to RFI.
“
It was quick: first Novak, then Varga. But we know that no important decision can be taken in Hungary without the approval of Viktor Orban,
” MEP Anna Donath, of the small liberal Momentum party, reacted on Facebook. “
He must take responsibility and explain what happened (...), it’s his system
.” To try to calm anger, the nationalist leader announced on Thursday that he wanted to revise the Constitution in order to exclude the possibility of pardoning child molesters.
But according to Paul Gradvohl, these two resignations are nothing to worry the Prime Minister. “
It will embarrass him, but to say that it is a game changer... It will depend on another factor, namely the reaction of Hungarian public opinion, which is already often ashamed of power, when it will eventually understand to what extent it is corrupt
,” says the researcher. Pending the election of her successor by Parliament, Katalin Novak is replaced by the President of Parliament Laszlo Kover.
(
And with
AFP)
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