Gathering in Budapest: They demand the resignation of the president because of the pardon in the case of sexual abuse of children

Thousands of people gathered today in Budapest in front of the Hungarian president's seat, calling on her to resign because she pardoned a person convicted of sexually abusing children.

The public was outraged when it was reported that Katalin Novak, the first female president in the history of Hungary, pardoned in April 2023 a worker of a children's home who was convicted in 2018 for pressuring the victims to withdraw their claims that the director of that sexually abused at home.

The director was sentenced to eight years for abusing at least ten children between 2004 and 2016.

Ahead of the demonstration, Hungarian MEP Ana Donat said she believed the scandal was something Novak "can't come back from".

She added that the pardon caused "sadness and really normal anger" in people.

Novak is a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and a former vice president of his ruling Fidesz party.

She was Hungary's family minister until her appointment as president in 2022 and openly advocated for traditional family values ​​and child protection.