Hungary’s president has resigned following outcry over her pardon of a man convicted of child sexual assault.
President Katalin Novak has come under increasing pressure to resign following her controversial decision to pardon a man convicted of covering up crimes perpetrated by a sexual predator at a children’s home.
The 46-year-old said in a televised statement on Saturday that she will be stepping down from the presidency, which she has held since 2022.
“I issued a pardon that caused bewilderment and unrest for many people,” Novák stated on Saturday. “I made a mistake.”
Novak, Hungary’s first female president, had sparked a political crisis unparalleled in the country’s long-running nationalist regime.
On Friday, there were rallies in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, demanding Novak quit.
The man Novak pardoned was sentenced to more than three years in jail in 2018 for forcing victims to recant their accusations of sexual assault in a state-run children’s home by its director, who was convicted to eight years for abusing at least ten children between 2004 and 2016.
It was well known that Novak had pardoned almost two dozen people ahead of Pope Francis’ visit to Hungary in April 2023.
However, it was only recently revealed that one of those pardoned was the deputy director of the children’s home, who stood in for his boss while he preyed on the inmates.
cc: Vanguard Ng
