Steven N.
The guessing game in the media is over: Viktor Orbán has announced that Fidesz-KDNP would be nominating Katalin Novák (pictured) as the next President of the Republic.
The final government information briefing of the year was held on Tuesday. Although normally held by Chancellor Minister Gergely Gulyás, Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and Zoltán Kovács, State Secretary for International Communication and Relations, also attended the briefing.
The Prime Minister rarely appears before the press, notes Azonnali, but it soon became apparent why he decided to take part in today’s briefing.
Answering a question from ATV, Orbán confirmed that the ruling Fidesz-KDNP parties would nominate Katalin Novák, Minister without Portfolio for Family Affairs, as their candidate for President of the Republic, replacing current President János Áder.
Hungary’s Fundamental Law states that the head of state can hold a maximum of two terms in office. Áder’s term will expire on May 10, but his successor must be elected 30-60 days before the end of his term. This means that a new president must be elected before Parliamentary elections are held in April 2022.
The President of the Republic, therefore, will be elected by the current Parliament. A minimum of 40 deputies must first nominate one person, who is then elected by a quasi-half majority – if this person does not get a two-thirds majority in the first round, a simple majority is enough in the second round.
Katalin Novák has already accepted the nomination, reports Magyar Hang. As she wrote on a Facebook post:
Representing Hungary, serving the entire Hungarian nation – I am preparing for this challenging task with faith, soul and heart. I respectfully accept the nomination to be President of the Republic. I will stay the same as I am.
In recent days, the press has speculated on the names of László Trócsányi, former Minister of Justice and current MEP, and House Speaker László Kövér as possible presidential candidates. Orbán has now put an end to the speculation by nominating Katalin Novák as Hungary’s second woman presidential candidate, after Katalin Szili.
