VIENNA, March 10. /TASS/. Katalin Novak has been elected as Hungary's new president, succeeding Janos Ader. Two-thirds of the country's National Assembly (unicameral parliament), which broadcast the session on its website, voted for her on Thursday.
Novak became the first woman in history to serve as president of Hungary. Until recently, she was the Minister for Family Affairs, a nominee of the ruling Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orban. The 62-year-old Ader, whose term expires May 10, has been in office since 2012. He served two consecutive five-year terms, the maximum allowed by the Hungarian constitution.
Moderate views and social media activity
Ader's replacement is 44 years old. She studied Economics at Corvinus University in Budapest, then law at the University of Szeged in her hometown. Additionally, she studied overseas at the Paris Nanterre University. Before joining the government, she worked for the Foreign Ministry and was elected to parliament as a Fidesz legislator. Since 2017, she has been Deputy Chairman of the Fidesz-Hungarian Civic Alliance, which forms the ruling coalition with the Christian Democratic People's Party.
Novak was State Secretary for Family and Youth Affairs until 2020, and then she took over these issues as a member of Orban's cabinet. As Minister, she defended the law banning the promotion of homosexuality among children, which caused discontent among the LGBT community and EU bureaucrats. However, Hungarian political analysts believe that in general she holds moderate views and should not trigger any backlash from the liberal part of the electorate.
Novak's husband works for the National Bank of Hungary and they have three children together.
Daniel Deak, a leading expert at the Century Institute think tank, says that the public has an "exceptionally positive view of Katalin Novak, so that she can easily fulfill the most important task of a head of state - to embody the nation’s unity." In an interview with the Hungarian news agency MTI, he also drew attention to the new president's activity on social media and her good knowledge of major European languages.
Serving the entire nation
Speaking in parliament before the vote, Novak reiterated her willingness to "serve the entire Hungarian nation" and do everything to preserve her country's sovereignty and national identity. She pointed to the importance of Hungary's membership in major European associations, stressing that "Europe is our home."
After listing the problems facing Hungary, including the coronavirus pandemic, she noted that the conflict in neighboring Ukraine, from where refugees continue to arrive, has now been added to them. Novak condemned Russia's actions in Ukraine, calling them "unjustified and inexplicable," and stressed that Hungary calls for a diplomatic solution to the situation in Ukraine. "Hungarians want peace," she said.
With an alternative, but with no chances
Novak's only rival in the election was 79-year-old economist Peter Rona, who was nominated by a coalition of opposition parties. Since, according to the constitution, the Hungarian president is elected by parliament, where two-thirds of the seats are now held by the Fidesz and the Christian Democrats, he had no chance. Nevertheless, the opposition believed that this sort of move to propose "an alternative candidate" was important.
The Hungarian president is considered to be a political figure who must unite all Hungarians, and this is the main role that Hungarian citizens see in the presidency. The presidential powers are rather limited (he represents his country on the international scene, heads the armed forces, signs laws, sets election dates, appoints judges, and so forth). Hungary is a parliamentary republic, with the bulk of power concentrated in the hands of the prime minister and the government. The opposition hopes to give the Orban-led Fidesz party a serious fight in the parliamentary elections scheduled for April 3.