Hungarian lawmakers voted overwhelmingly to remain members of the International Criminal Court, reversing a previous decision by Viktor Orbán's government. This move prevents Hungary from becoming the only EU state not recognizing the court's jurisdiction.
Key points
Hungarian MPs voted to remain in the ICC
Decision reverses Viktor Orbán's previous withdrawal plan
Péter Magyar's government initiated the vote
133 out of 199 lawmakers supported the bill
Legislation awaits president's signature
Mentioned in this story
Viktor OrbánPéter MagyarInternational Criminal Court
Lawmakers in Hungary have voted overwhelmingly for the country to remain a member of the international criminal court, reversing a decision made by the previous government of Viktor Orbán.
Wednesday’s vote came days before the country was poised to become the only EU member state not to recognise the jurisdiction of the global tribunal, which aims to prosecute those accused of war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity.
In April last year, Orbán announced that Hungary would begin the process of pulling out of what he decried as a “political court.” He made the comments while hosting his Israeli counterpart and longtime ally, Benjamin Netanyahu – the subject of an ICC arrest warrant – in Budapest.
After he was elected in a landslide victory last month, the country’s new leader, Péter Magyar, repeatedly vowed that his government would reverse the withdrawal before it took effect on 2 June. On Monday, his government submitted a bill to the parliament, setting in motion a fast-tracked procedure that resulted in 133 of 199 lawmakers voting to back the bill.
The legislation must now be signed into law by the president, Tamás Sulyok, an Orbán-era appointee whom Magyar has repeatedly called on to resign.
Earlier this week, the ICC’s legislative body hailed Hungary’s plan to reverse the withdrawal, describing it as “essential” to ensuring accountability for the world’s gravest crimes.
The U-turn marks a bright moment for the beleaguered institution. Since Donald Trump’s return to power last year, his administration has worked steadily to hobble the Hague-based court, imposing sanctions on 11 of the court’s officials. Several of the judges and the chief prosecutor have been left grappling with the fallout, from cancelled credit cards to disappearing Amazon and Google accounts, in what one judge as a “direct and flagrant attack” on one of the world’s most prominent courts.
Q&A
Why did Hungary's parliament vote to stay in the ICC?
The parliament voted to remain in the ICC to reverse a decision made by the previous government under Viktor Orbán, which aimed to withdraw from the court.
What was Viktor Orbán's stance on the ICC?
Viktor Orbán described the ICC as a 'political court' and initiated Hungary's withdrawal from it in April last year.
Who is the new leader of Hungary and what is his position on the ICC?
The new leader of Hungary is Péter Magyar, who has vowed to reverse the withdrawal from the ICC and submitted a bill to parliament to support this decision.
What is the significance of Hungary remaining in the ICC?
By remaining in the ICC, Hungary avoids becoming the only EU member state not to recognize the court's jurisdiction, which prosecutes war crimes and crimes against humanity.
For weeks, Magyar had made it clear that his Tisza party would work to ensure that Hungary, a founding member of the ICC treaty, would not join the ranks of countries, such as China, Israel, Russia and the US, that refuse to recognise the court’s jurisdiction.
This week’s legislation framed the decision as one aimed at maintaining global peace and protecting human rights, noting that “it is essential that those who commit the most serious international crimes be held accountable before an international judicial forum.”
Reversing the ICC withdrawal would mean that Netanyahu would be arrested if he stepped foot in the country, Magyar told reporters last month, indicating that the end of Orbán’s time in power meant Israel had lost one of its staunchest allies in Europe.
“I believe that if the country is a member of the international criminal court, and a person who is wanted by the court enters our territory, then that person must be taken into custody,” said Magyar.
In 2024, the ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes – including starvation as a method of warfare – in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. His office has rejected the court’s “false and absurd” accusations, describing them as fuelled by antisemitism and the politically motivated move of “a biased and discriminatory political body”.
In July last year, a panel of ICC judges determined that Hungary had failed to comply with its legal obligation to arrest Netanyahu during the visit to Budapest. Noting that the obligation to cooperate had been made sufficiently clear to Hungary, the judges said the “failure to arrest suspects severely undermines the court’s ability to carry out its mandate”.
Ahead of the visit, Hungary had not shared any concerns over the arrest warrants with the court, the judges noted: “Hungary did not engage with the court before or during Mr Netanyahu’s visit and, instead, decided to unilaterally withhold cooperation.”
