Hungary - Hungary's president resigns following doctorate plagiarism scandal / Janos Ader named as n

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• published: 31 Jul 2015
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On April 2nd 2012 Hungarian President Pal Schmitt resigned because of a plagiarism scandal about a doctoral dissertation he had written 20 years ago. Schmitt - who was elected to his largely ceremonial office in 2010 for a five-year term - said in a speech to Parliament's plenary session that he is stepping down because the controversy is dividing Hungary. "In this situation, when my personal issue divides my beloved nation instead of uniting it, I feel it to be my personal duty to finish my service and resign from my presidential mandate," Schmitt said, drawing applause and cheers from opposition lawmakers. "I ask God's blessing for Hungary and for your work," he added. The 69-year-old then quickly left the chamber accompanied by Prime Minister Viktor Orban as lawmakers from the governing parties - Orban's Fidesz and the Christian Democrats - gave him a standing ovation. The resignation comes at a turbulent time in Hungarian politics. Orban - who had made his name by protesting Hungary's communist dictatorship - is now being criticised for pushing the nation towards centralised rule. The European Union, which Hungary joined in 2004, has criticised legislation Orban's party passed for limiting democratic principles such as freedom of the press and an independent judiciary and central bank. Schmitt had been elected president with support of Orban and his Fidesz party. During the previous week his 1992 doctorate was revoked after a university committee, following up on a report published in January 2012 by the Internet publication HVG.hu, found that most of his thesis about the modern Olympic Games had been copied from the work of two other authors. Schmitt had won two gold metals at the 1968 and 1972 Olympics on his country's fencing teams. His resignation came one day after he told state radio he would not step down. But pressure on him quickly grew, even among intellectuals and media close to Orban's government. During most of his speech Schmitt defended his doctorate and said he would appeal its revocation at the university and, if needed, in the courts. ** On May 2nd the Hungarian parliament chose a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban to be the country's new president, guaranteeing that his conservative Fidesz party will be able to pass laws at will without interference. Janos Ader, 52, a European Parliament lawmaker, was elected to a five-year term by a vote of 262-40. The choice is sure to fan increasing tensions between Budapest and the European Union. The EU and civil rights groups fear that Orban and Fidesz are engaged in a power grab that restricts basic freedoms and civil rights in Hungary, an EU member. Ader, an ally of Orban's for nearly a quarter century, is expected to follow his predecessor's example of signing into law every bill that crosses his desk. Ader becomes Hungary's youngest president since the fall of communism in 1989. He is also the first president to take office under Hungary's new Constitution, which took effect on January 1st 2012. Critics complain the new constitution erases checks and balances on state power - and Fidesz controls virtually all state power by virtue of its two-thirds majority in parliament. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/cefa4dd10fee41ca8d9c58354d1b7fd2 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork