In Hungary, Katelin Novak criticized the resignation of the president for granting amnesty to a child offender.

Hungarian President Katalin Novak announced his resignation on Saturday, February 10, after angering the country by granting amnesty to a juvenile offender.

“I resign my post”A close friend of nationalist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán acknowledged the pledge during the solemn speech. “a mistake”. “The condonation and lack of explanations allowed may have raised doubts about zero tolerance in pedophilia matters. But there can be no doubt about it,” he said.said the 46-year-old manager.

“I apologize to those I offended and to those who felt I did not support them. I am, have been, and will continue to support the protection of children and families.”, she added. M^me In May 2022, Novak became the first woman to occupy this essentially ceremonial position.

Controversy followed the pardon.^me Novak, the former deputy director of the orphanage, was sentenced to more than three years in prison in 2022 for covering up the actions of his superior on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Budapest in April 2023.

One of the victims committed suicide

A few minutes later Mr.^me Novak, Mr. Judith Varga, another Orban ally, also announced “withdrawal from public life” He left a post this summer to lead the campaign for June's European elections – giving his approval as justice minister. “I am resigning from my mandate as Member of Parliament and Chair of the List in the European Parliament”He announced on his Facebook account.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered in the Hungarian capital on Friday afternoon against the president's pardon and three of the president's advisers left their posts. The demonstration began with a moment of silence for the victims, after which participants, sometimes accompanied by stuffed animals, were invited to raise their phones to pay tribute to one of the victims who committed suicide.

“It was quick: first Novak, then Varga. But we know that no major decision can be made in Hungary without Viktor Orbán's approval.reacted on Facebook MEP Anna Donath is from the small Liberal Momentum party. “He needs to take responsibility and explain what happened (…), that is his organization. »

As revealed by the investigative site 444 Last week of this decision, the opposition M^me Novak was also Mr Orban's most conservative family minister (2020 – 2021).

On Thursday, in an attempt to quell the anger, Mr. Orban has announced that he wants to amend the constitution to avoid the possibility of amnesty for child abusers.

Temporarily replaced by Speaker of Parliament

Katalin Novak, who temporarily replaced Parliament Speaker László Kovar, was presented by the press last year. Forbes The most influential woman in public life in Hungary.

Originally from the city of Szeged (South), graduated in economics and law, studied at Sciences Po Paris before training at ENA (former National School of Administration in France).^me Novak speaks fluent French and was made a Knight of the Legion of Honor in 2019.

Joining the Hungarian Foreign Ministry in 2001 as a simple civil servant, she raised her three children in Germany, where her husband worked, before returning to Hungary in 2010 during the victory of Viktor Orbán.

Appointed Secretary of State for Families and Youth in 2014, she received her ministerial titles in 2020 in a three-woman government. M^me Novak's aim was to end the country's population decline, which he later declared Hungary did not want. “No Immigration or Population Replacement”.