Hungarian Parliament Votes to Remain in International Criminal Court, Overturning Previous Withdrawal Decision

The Hungarian parliament passed a bill today to maintain its membership in the International Criminal Court (ICC), overturning the withdrawal decision made by the government of former Prime Minister Viktor Orban in 2025. According to Reuters, the Orban government announced its withdrawal last year, citing the politicization of the ICC. However, current Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who defeated Orban in the parliamentary elections last month, promised to halt the process of Hungary's withdrawal from the ICC. The ICC has been established for over 20 years with the aim of prosecuting individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. When Hungary announced its withdrawal in April last year, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited Hungary, ignoring an ICC arrest warrant. At the time, the Hungarian government refused to arrest Netanyahu and criticized the ICC's warrant as "shameless." The bill passed by the Hungarian parliament today states that "for the sake of international peace and security, as well as the protection of human rights, it is necessary to hold those who commit serious international crimes accountable in an international court."