Hungarian President Katalin Novák announced her resignation on Saturday following mounting pressure over her pardon of a man convicted as an accomplice in a child sexual abuse case.
"I made a mistake," said Novák in a video broadcast by state television.
It was recently revealed that Novák pardoned a man who had been legally convicted of aiding and abetting the sexual abuse of children and young people.
The disclosure triggered street protests and condemnation from lawmakers across the political spectrum.
The man Novák pardoned was the deputy head of a children's home in Bicske near Budapest.
According to a court ruling, he forced children to recant their testimonies as victims of abuse against the director of the home in order to exonerate his boss.
The home director was sentenced to eight years in prison. His pardoned deputy received a prison sentence of three years and four months.
The pardon took place in April 2023, on the occasion of Pope Francis' visit to Budapest. However, it only became known a week ago through media reports.
Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a right-wing populist, submitted a proposal to parliament on Thursday evening to change the Hungarian constitution so that in future, criminals whose crimes victimize children should never be pardoned.
Orbán's government likes to be seen as a protector of children from sexualized violence.
Despite an international outcry, it pushed through a law in 2021 that prohibits the education of children in schools about homosexuality. Critics blasted the measure as equating homosexuality with paedophilia.
Shortly before her resignation, Novák had returned to Budapest early from an official visit to Qatar.
In Hungary, heads of state play a subordinate role politically. They are elected by parliament, usually on the recommendation of the strongest party. The appointment of Novák, who had been a leading member of Orbán's Fidesz party, was proposed by the prime minister.
Novák, who took office in May 2022, has not always been on the same page as Orbán.
On several occasions, she expressed clear criticism of the Russian invasion Ukraine, while Orbán maintains friendly relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Novák also spoke out in favour of Hungary's parliament swiftly ratifying Sweden's accession to NATO, which Orbán is holding up.
