Hungary votes to begin withdrawal from International Criminal Court
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Hungary's parliament has approved a bill to exit the ICC, calling it political after rejecting the arrest warrant against Netanyahu over war crimes in Gaza.
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Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, left, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu shake hands after a press statement at the Carmelite Monastery in the Buda Castle in Budapest, Hungary, April 3, 2025. (AP/Denes Erdos)
Hungary’s parliament approved a bill on Tuesday initiating the country's withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), marking a sharp rebuke of the court’s legitimacy following its arrest warrant against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The move, backed by Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s government, launches a year-long process that will formally end Hungary’s participation in the ICC. The decision was passed with 134 votes in favor and 37 against, according to the Hungarian parliament’s website.
Orban's government first announced its intention to withdraw on April 3, days after Netanyahu arrived in Hungary on a state visit, one of his rare trips abroad since the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest over war crimes committed during "Israel's" genocide in Gaza.
"The ICC is no longer an impartial, rule-of-law court, but rather a political court," Orban said last month, describing the court’s actions as driven by international influence rather than legal standards.
Deputy Prime Minister Zsolt Semjen, who submitted the bill, stated that "Hungary firmly rejects the use of international organizations, in particular criminal courts, as instruments of political influence."
Hungary refuses to honor Netanyahu warrant
Hungary has rejected the ICC’s warrant against Netanyahu, calling it "brazen", and made clear it would not cooperate with any effort to arrest the Israeli prime minister. Netanyahu, in turn, praised Hungary’s decision to leave the court, describing it as a "bold and principled decision."
The ICC, founded over two decades ago, is tasked with prosecuting individuals accused of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide. Hungary was among the founding members, having ratified the Rome Statute in 2001. However, the Orban government claims that recent ICC decisions have undermined its original mission.
Under the Rome Statute, a country’s withdrawal from the ICC takes effect one year after the United Nations secretary-general receives official written notification.
The court’s Presidency of the Assembly of State Parties has already expressed concern over Hungary’s move, warning that such withdrawals risk weakening the global fight against impunity.
Hungary’s decision comes amid growing international backlash over "Israel's" war on Gaza, where more than 53,000 Palestinians have been martyred, the majority of them women and children, according to the Gaza Health Ministry.
