Accomplice pardoned

Pedophilia scandal surrounding Hungary’s head of state

The opposition is demanding the resignation of Katalin Novák. The media are already talking about the end of her "presidency".(Bild: APA/AFP/ATTILA KISBENEDEK)

The Hungarian ruling party Fidesz is committed to protecting children and minors from sexual exploitation. Now, however, it is itself being rocked by a paedophilia scandal. Head of state Katalin Novák, who served as Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's family minister before taking office, has pardoned a man convicted as an accomplice in a criminal case of child abuse.

"The Hungarian president's political career is over," the online portal telex.hu quoted political scientist Gábor Török as saying on Friday in connection with the amnesty scandal. An entire country is outraged, Török emphasized, recalling the opposition's demand for Novák's resignation. These demands are now being taken to the streets. 

Thousands of people protest outside the seat of office
Thousands of people protested against the president in the capital Budapest on Friday evening. In front of her seat on Castle Hill, the crowd demanded Novák's resignation and criticized Prime Minister Viktor Orbán at the same time. The crowd, organized by civil organizations, marched from the Ministry of the Interior to the presidential residence, where they joined forces with activists from the opposition Momentum party.

The protests on the streets are not only directed against the president, but also against the ruling Fidesz party, from whose ranks Katalin Novák comes.(Bild: AP)

Stuffed animals with taped-up snouts in front of the president's official residence(Bild: AP)

These demonstrators see the ruling Fidesz party as a "protector of paedophiles".(Bild: AP)

Pedagogue Edit Simkó accused Novák and former Justice Minister Judit Varga, who was still in office at the time of the amnesty, of having participated "in this wickedness" as mothers. Rita Antoni, chairwoman of the Association for Women, said that the president had "spat in the face of the victims" with her decision and would not make her own decisions.

Amnesty on the occasion of the Pope's visit
The pardoned man is the former deputy director of a children's home who had covered up his boss's pedophile crimes for years. This involved dozens of cases of abuse and sexual assault. The pardoned man was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. As an accomplice, he had also done everything in his power to persuade the children to make false statements and withdraw their complaints, wrote the news platform 444.hu.

President Novák had already granted the amnesty in April 2023 and linked it to the Pope's visit to Hungary. At the time, a press release from the Sándor Palace stated that the Pope's visit was a special occasion for the head of state to make use of his right to amnesty. However, the special case of the deputy director of the children's home had only just come to light. An "attentive citizen" informed the news portal 444.hu.

Orbán distances himself from former party colleague
However, it is not only the opposition and non-governmental organizations that are turning against the president. In the meantime, members of Novák's advisory board have also resigned. Writer János Lackfi emphasized that he had expected an explanation from Novák regarding the scandal. The public outrage is understandable, the online portal propeller.hu quoted him as saying.

Orbán, who is considered a confidant of the 46-year-old, also distanced himself from Novák. In a Facebook video entitled "No mercy for paedophiles", he announced his intention to make it impossible to pardon paedophile offenders by amending the constitution (see video below). Fidesz parliamentary group leader Maté Kocsis used clear words on state radio on Friday: "This case of a pardon should never have happened. It would be good to know what was behind the president's amnesty decision, Kocsis questioned.

Former Justice Minister Judit Varga must also put up with unpleasant questions in this context. After all, she bears political responsibility, as a Hungarian constitutional lawyer emphasized on propeller.hu. Because without the ministerial countersignature, the amnesty decision is not valid. This of course pours even more water on the opposition's mill, which naturally senses a Fidesz scandal here.