Hungary’s President Resigns Amid Outcry Over Sex Abuse Case Pardon
New York TimesFeb 10
Hungary's President Resigns Over Sex Abuse Pardon Scandal
The Facts
Hungarian Pres. Katalin Novak announced her resignation in a televised address on Saturday amid public outrage over a pardon she granted to a man convicted in a sexual abuse case at a state-run children's home.
Novak, the first female president of Hungary, acknowledged that she had "made a mistake" and issued an apology stating "the pardon granted and the lack of explanation may have given rise to doubts about zero tolerance of paedophilia."
The Spin
Narrative A
Novak is an outspoken champion of family values and would never pardon crimes committed against children. However, it's clear she made a mistake in freeing a pedophile in the belief that the convict didn't abuse the vulnerability of the children entrusted to him. The president must be applauded for making a responsible decision.
Narrative B
Even if Novak's role was essentially ceremonial, she could have been vigilant before granting a pardon to a man implicated in a child sexual abuse case. However, it's evident that the close ally of Hungary's authoritarian Prime Minister, Viktor Orbán, is made a scapegoat to calm national anger. No important decisions are taken in the country without the conservative leader's approval.
Nerd narrative
There's a 4% chance that Hungary will experience a successful coup d'etat before 2040, according to the Metaculus prediction community.