Plagiarism topples leader

Hungary’s president Pal Schmitt, a close ally of prime minister Viktor Orban, caved in to mounting pressure to quit after being stripped of his 1992 doctorate title for plagiarism last week.

Mr Schmitt, 69, a former Olympic fencing gold medallist, leaves the ceremonial post less than two years after he took over the presidency in June 2010.

Rumours he might resign arose on Friday, a day after Budapest’s Semmelweis University stripped him of his PhD.