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Hungary Votes to Stay in International Criminal Court

By reversing Viktor Orbán’s 2025 withdrawal, the vote restores Hungary’s formal backing of the court and signals a return to support for international justice.

Hungary's new Prime Minister Peter Magyar delivers a speech after the inaugural session in Budapest, Hungary, Saturday, May 9, 2026. (AP Photo/Denes Erdos)
An exterior view of the International Criminal Court in the Hague, Netherlands, March 31, 2021. REUTERS/Piroschka van de Wouw

Overview

  • Hungary’s parliament voted Wednesday, May 27, 2026 to keep the country in the International Criminal Court, formally reversing the previous government’s decision to quit the court.
  • The bill, introduced by Prime Minister Péter Magyar, passed largely along party lines with 133 votes for, 37 against and five abstentions and says Hungary must remain in the ICC to protect peace and human rights.
  • The 2025 withdrawal followed a state visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Hungary’s refusal to detain him after an ICC arrest warrant, a dispute that helped trigger the earlier exit decision.
  • The ICC’s Assembly of States Parties welcomed Hungary’s return and the vote restores legal and diplomatic ties that matter for the court’s ability to hold suspects to account.
  • The ICC was created to try war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide, and observers will watch whether Hungary now resumes cooperation on arrests, evidence sharing and other legal obligations.