The sudden scandal has affected the President of Hungary and the former Minister of Justice.

It has become perhaps the biggest political challenge to Viktor Orbán's regime in his 14-year autocratic rule over the country.

Although this story is not directly related to Ukraine, the Hungarian Prime Minister could become more dangerous through it and could hit also Ukraine, as warns Dmytro Tuzhanskyi, Director of the Institute for Central European Strategy, in the article "Orbán's Pedophile Earthquake." Why Hungarian politics is shaking and how it will affect Ukraine.

On the evening of 10 February, Hungary shook the news that President Katalin Novák had to resign, despite her election less than two years ago.

Another important figure in Orbán's regime announced her political resignation almost simultaneously – former Minister of Justice Judit Varga. She is leaving public life, resigning from her parliamentary mandate. She was expected to lead the list of the governing party Fidesz's for the elections to the European Parliament this summer.

Despite their formal different statuses, both Novák and Varga were until recently the Hungarian Prime Minister's favourites.

Their careers were buried after the pardon of a former deputy head of a children's home in Bicske, west of Budapest. He was imprisoned for covering up his director Janos V., who, in turn, was found guilty of sexual abuse of at least 10 underage boys.

However, on 27 April, 2023, Endre K. found himself on the list of 22 Hungarian citizens pardoned by President Katalin Novák. According to the pardon procedure, the signature of the Minister of Justice is also required, so she gave the "go-ahead."

That is why they have now resigned, publicly announcing that they made a mistake last year.

None of this could have been known because the pardon procedure involves secrecy. However, Mr. Endre K. decided to sue even after being pardoned, proving his innocence. Thus, in September 2023, his case became public in another proceeding. On 2 February, a Hungarian opposition liberal outlet 444, reported on it with the help of one of its readers.

As they say, "it started" after that.

It is important to understand that Orbán's protection of children and family values is absolute in Hungary. When the ruling team, which builds its ideology around this, simultaneously pardons the accomplice of a pedophile, even those voters whose support for Orbán has become a religion may wonder if something is wrong here.

That's why rocks were thrown at the important people. The favourites.

But Varga's former husband, Péter Magyar, spoke out, announcing his resignation from all state positions almost simultaneously with President Novák and his former wife. But for completely different reasons..

"I don't want to be a part of a system where real responsible people hide behind women's skirts for a single minute," he said with his resignation.

Until recently, not many people knew about the existence of Péter Madyar, and now he has become a hero of the anti-Orbán movement.

At first glance, this is purely an internal Hungarian story. The consequences, however, are threatening for Ukraine in reality.

Firstly, with the resignation of Katalin Novák, Ukraine lost perhaps its only potential political ally in Viktor Orbán's team.

Secondly, after such a loud scandal, Orbán needs revenge and a demonstration of strength, and unfortunately, Ukraine may become the defenseless victim in Orbán's games with electorate.

So, we should expect even more strange and unacceptable statements for Ukraine pretty soon, such as the latest one about Ukraine as a buffer zone, as well as actions by concerned Hungarian farmers. Because Orbán's action matrix is unchanging: "in case of a scandal, generate new enemies and divert attention to them."