Hungarian Parliament halts the country's withdrawal from the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court

The National Assembly of Hungary has blocked the initiated process for the country's withdrawal from the jurisdiction of the "International Criminal Court" (ICC) and decided that Budapest will maintain its membership in the institution. This effectively overturned a decision initiated by the previous government of former Prime Minister "Viktor Orbán".

The bill to terminate the withdrawal procedure from the ICC was voted on Wednesday, May 27, under a so-called "emergency procedure". It was submitted on behalf of the cabinet of the new Prime Minister "Péter Magyar" just a day earlier.

The argument: The ICC is necessary for peace, security, and the protection of rights

The adopted document states that maintaining Hungary's membership in the ICC is necessary to ensure that those responsible for the most serious international crimes are held accountable. The text emphasizes that this is important "for maintaining peace, security, and the protection of human rights".

During the vote, all deputies from Magyar's "Tisza" party supported the bill. At the same time, the entire coalition of "Fidesz" and the Christian Democratic People's Party (KDNP) voted against it. The final result was 133 votes to 37.

The government had already withdrawn the notification to leave

As early as May 22, Prime Minister "Péter Magyar" announced on the social network "X" that the government had withdrawn the notification to leave the ICC, submitted by the previous authorities in April 2025. At the time, it was estimated that the withdrawal procedure would be completed approximately one year after the application was filed.

The initial decision to withdraw from the court was announced on the day that Israeli Prime Minister "Benjamin Netanyahu" arrived in Hungary. Thanks to the initiated procedure, Budapest avoided the obligation to execute the arrest warrant issued by the ICC for him.

ICC: A supranational jurisdiction for the most serious crimes

Located in "The Hague", the "International Criminal Court" has been operating since 2002 and is tasked with investigating and prosecuting crimes such as genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Currently, over 100 countries are parties to the Rome Statute, the court's founding treaty, with all European Union members among them.

Hungary signed the Rome Statute in 1999 and ratified it two years later. By revoking the withdrawal from the ICC, the country reaffirms its commitment to the supranational criminal justice system and to common European standards in the field of international law.