Hungarian President Katalin Novak has announced her resignation following the outrage sparked in the country by her decision to pardon a convicted child sex offender.
"I resign from my position", the head of state declared in an official speech, acknowledging that she had made "a mistake".
In March 2022 Novak, considered very 'close' to Prime Minister Viktor Orban, became the first woman to hold this essentially ceremonial position.
"I apologize to those I have hurt and to any victims who may have felt that I did not support them. I am, was and will remain in favor of the protection of children and families," added the 46-year-old former minister of family affairs.
The controversy was triggered by the pardon granted in April 2023, on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Budapest, to a former deputy director of an institute for minors, sentenced in 2022 to more than three years in prison for having covered up the actions of the his superior.
Since the revelation of this decision by the investigative website 444 last week, the opposition has called for his resignation and anger has grown in the country.
Minutes after Novak's speech, another Viktor Orban ally, Judit Varga, also announced her "retirement from public life" for having given her approval as Justice Minister - a post she left this summer to lead the European election campaign.
"I renounce my mandate as a member of parliament and list leader in the European Parliament," she declared on Facebook.
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