The first female President of Hungary Katalin Novak has resigned from her position following the pressure of opposition and protests over pardon to a convict in a sex abuse case. Know all about her…

New Delhi: The President of Hungary, Katalin Novak has resigned from her position on Saturday, following outrage over a pardon to a convict in a sex abuse case. There was pressure from the opposition leaders and protests outside the Presidential Residence. Katalin Novak made a formal announcement about her resignation in a speech broadcast on state television. The case in which the first female President of Hungary granted pardon, is almost a year old. Here’s what you need to know about the case and also more about Katalin Novak…

President Of Hungary Resigns Over Pardon To Convict In Sex Abuse Case

As mentioned earlier, Hungary’s President Katalin Novak resigned on Saturday after growing pressure for pardoning a man convicted of being involved in conspiring to conceal an instance of a sex abuse case in a children’s home, according to Al Jazeera. On Friday, at least a thousand protesters demonstrated in the nation’s capital, calling for her resignation. Opposition parties in Hungary also called for her resignation.

Katalin Novak Resignation Speech

In her resignation speech, Katalin Novak said, “I made a mistake…Today is the last day that I address you as president,” she said in a speech broadcast on state television. She further added, “”I made a decision to grant a pardon last April, believing that the convict did not abuse the vulnerability of children whom he had overseen. I made a mistake as the pardon and the lack of reasoning was suitable to trigger doubts over the zero tolerance that applies to paedophilia.”

What Was The Sex Abuse Case?

Ahead of Pope Francis’s visit in April 2023, Novak made the decision to pardon some two-dozen people in April 2023, including the deputy director of a children’s home who had assisted the former director in hiding his wrongdoings. In 2022, Endre K was given a sentence of three years and four months in prison. She also had a five-year ban from engaging in any activities or working in any capacity related to minors. However, Novak was freed and, permitted to return to his profession after receiving a pardon, according to Al Jazeera.

Who Is Katalin Novak?

Katalin Novak is the first female President of Hungary. Novak is Conservative Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s former family minister and ally. She was also the youngest person to ever hold the position and the first female president in Hungary’s history. Katalin Novak was elected a the age of 44 and became the youngest to be elected and also the first female to become the President.

(Inputs from ANI)