Hungary: President Katalin Novák resigns
Hungarian President Katalin Novák has announced her resignation after pardoning a criminal who was an accessory in a case of sexual abuse of minors at a children’s home. Former Justice Minister Judit Varga, who signed off on the pardon, has announced that she will no longer stand as Fidesz’s top candidate in the European elections. Can the resignations calm the troubled waters?
Heart-stricken
The pro-government journalist Zsolt Bayer praises the two politicians in Magyar Nemzet:
“Katalin Novák and Judit Varga made a mistake. Perhaps they weren’t prudent enough, perhaps they were misled (if so, I hope the main culprit will be on the run for the rest of his life). ... But that’s beside the point now (and only now!). What matters is that Katalin Novák and Judit Varga did what they thought was right. They did what they had to do as moral beings. They also felt that the case had hit our political community right in the heart and that this was the only way to remove the poison.”
Something broken within Fidesz
The two personalities bring serious conflicts to light, Magyar Hang writes:
“The damage is being repaired at full speed and the power apparatus is quickly moving beyond Katalin Novák (and Judit Varga). ... However it looks as if those in power have more loose ends to tie up than they had planned. ... It is now undeniable that savage feuds and personal battles are straining the Fidesz power bloc from within. Péter Magyar, who is pushing for change in the country, has launched a frontal attack against Antal Rogán, Orbán’s cabinet minister who is barely visible to the public but holds government communications and secret services in his hands. ... The offensive is aimed at the heart of Fidesz policies, the enormous concentration of power and wealth.”
