Tens of thousands rally against Hungary's Orban after sex abuse pardon scandal

People take a part in a demonstration after the resignation of the country's President Katalin Novak and former Justice Minister Judit Varga in Budapest, Hungary, February 16, 2024. REUTERS/Bernadett Szabo

BUDAPEST (Reuters) - Tens of thousands of Hungarians protested in Budapest on Friday at the biggest rally against Prime Minister Viktor Orban's government for years, after a sex-abuse case pardon by President Katalin Novak caused public uproar and led to her resignation.

Conservative Orban, who has been in power since 2010, has sought to defuse the week-old scandal that brought down two of his key political allies, the president and former justice minister Judit Varga, but it has continued to dominate domestic media.