Hungary’s parliament has voted to keep the country in the International Criminal Court, reversing a withdrawal process launched under Viktor Orbán after the court issued an arrest warrant for Benjamin Netanyahu.
Hungary’s parliament has approved legislation to maintain the country’s membership of the International Criminal Court, reversing a decision taken in 2025 by the former government of Viktor Orbán.
The withdrawal had been due to take effect on June 2, 2026, one year after Hungary notified the United Nations of its intention to leave the Rome Statute. The ICC’s Assembly of States Parties had previously confirmed the timetable, describing the move as a withdrawal from the court’s founding treaty.
Prime Minister Péter Magyar submitted the bill after pledging to stop the exit process. His government argued that Hungary’s continued participation in the ICC was necessary for international accountability over genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The original withdrawal was announced in April 2025, during a Budapest visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Orbán’s government said Hungary would leave the ICC, after criticising the court’s actions against Israeli officials.
The issue became legally sensitive because the ICC had issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu. Hungary, as a state party to the Rome Statute, was expected to co-operate with the court, but Budapest did not detain him during his visit.
Netanyahu Visits Hungary as Budapest Announces Withdrawal from ICC
The Hungarian parliament later approved the withdrawal under the Orbán administration. Magyar’s government has now reversed that course before the process could take effect.
The decision has wider EU significance. Human Rights Watch argued before the vote that Hungary’s return to the ICC framework would be part of a broader rule-of-law reset after years of confrontation between Budapest and European institutions.
Magyar has also said Hungary would be obliged to enforce ICC warrants if a wanted person entered Hungarian territory. That position may complicate any future visit by Netanyahu, who has reportedly been invited to Budapest for commemorations later this year.
Magyar says Hungary must honour ICC warrant if Netanyahu enters country
The vote forms part of a wider change in Budapest’s political direction following Magyar’s election victory. His government has also announced plans to investigate alleged misconduct under Orbán’s administration and to pursue institutional reforms.
