Hungary's President Pal Schmitt, a close ally of Prime Minister Viktor Orban, caved in Monday to mounting pressure to quit after he was stripped of his 1992 doctorate title for plagiarism. "Under the constitution, the president must represent the unity of the Hungarian nation. I have unfortunately become a symbol of division, I feel it is my duty to leave my position," Schmitt told parliament.
"In the interests of Hungary and of national unity, I resign from the post of president," he added later in his letter of resignation. Deputies accepted his departure, by 338 votes against five, with six abstentions. The speaker of parliament, Laszlo Kover, will now perform the president's duties until new elections are held. Schmitt, 69, a former two-time fencing Olympic champion, leaves the mostly ceremonial post less than two years after he took over the presidency in June 2010.
In parliament Monday, Schmitt insisted he had done "honest work" and claimed the university had "no right" to strip him of his doctorate, adding that he might take legal action to get it back. He also said he would prepare a new doctorate on sports and the environment.
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