BUDAPEST: The Hungarian parliament on Thursday elected Katalin Novak, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, as the EU member’s first woman president.

Novak, who most recently served as a minister for family policy, portrayed her election as a victory for women.

She was elected to the mostly ceremonial role by 137 votes to 51 in the parliament dominated by Orban’s right-wing Fidesz party ahead of opposition challenger Peter Rona, an economist.

“We women rear children, care for the sick, cook, do the work of two people if needed, earn money, teach, win Nobel prizes, clean windows,” Novak said in a speech before the vote.

“We know the power of words but can keep quiet and listen if we have to, and defend our families with a courage beyond that of men’s if danger threatens,” said the 44-year-old, Hungary’s youngest head of state.

“It is thanks to being a woman and not despite it that I want to be a good president of Hungary,” she said.

Earlier she posted a photo of her, her husband and her three children on social media, saying it “means a lot to me that my family is here with me”.

Novak has been the face of government policies including generous tax breaks and handouts designed to encourage young families to have more children.

Thursday’s vote comes weeks ahead of a crunch parliamentary election on April 3, where Orban faces a stiff battle to win a fourth straight term in power since 2010.

Peter Marki-Zay, who leads a six-party opposition hoping to unseat Orban next month, accused Novak of being “unfit” for the presidential position job due to her partisan background.

Critics of the socially conservative Novak have also blasted her championing of anti-LGBTQ policies ahead of a referendum about gender-change also to be held on April 3.

Novak a former vice-president of the ruling Fidesz — will succeed party co-founder Janos Ader, who has held the job since 2012. She will take office after Ader’s term expires on May 10.

Published in Dawn, March 11th, 2022