Hungarian Prime Minister Peter Magyar Downplayed Orban’s Policy To Continue With ICC.

Hague; May 2026: Hungary’s parliament has voted overwhelmingly to cancel the country’s withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), as its new pro-EU government dismantles key policies introduced under longtime nationalist leader Viktor Orban.

Orban had announced Hungary’s withdrawal last year, decrying the tribunal as a “political court”. It came during a state visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a close Orban ally and the subject of an ICC arrest warrant over Israel’s war in Gaza.

Prime Minister Peter Magyar, who won a landslide electoral victory in April this year, vowed he would reverse the exit process before it took effect on 02nd June in a couple of days. After fast-tracking a bill to repeal the legislation taking Hungary out of the ICC, he secured parliament’s approval yesterday (Wednesday, 27th May) with MPs voting by 133 to 37 to stay a member of the court.

Magyar has already indicated that Hungary remains committed in executing ICC warrants, including against Netanyahu, who has already accepted an invitation to visit Hungary later this year.

The ICC hailed the Hungary’s decision as an “important decision”. The step is “essential to our shared objective of ensuring accountability for the gravest crimes, strengthening the international legal order, and supporting multilateral institutions”, the court’s legislative body said after Magyar’s government announced last week it would cancel the withdrawal.

The International Criminal Court on 25th May has reiterated: “The Presidency of the Assembly of States Parties welcomes the announcement of the Government of Hungary that it will discontinue the process of withdrawal from the Rome Statute and remain a State Party to the Statute”.

“The Presidency further congratulates the Government of Hungary for this important decision, which is essential to our shared objective of ensuring accountability for the gravest crimes, strengthening the international legal order, and supporting multilateral institutions”.

The Assembly of States Parties is the management oversight and legislative body of the ICC. It is comprised of representatives of States that have ratified and acceded to the Rome Statute. The Presidency of the Assembly is currently composed of President H.E. Ms Päivi Kaukoranta (Finland), and Vice-Presidents, H.E. Mr. Michael Kanu (Sierra Leone), and H.E. Ms Margareta Kassangana (Poland).

It is now up to the Hungarian President Tamas Sulyok, an Orban appointee, to sign the legislation into law.

The ICC issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in 2024 over allegations of crimes against humanity and war crimes in Israel’s war against Hamas in Gaza. The move prompted the Israeli government to accuse the court of antisemitism and political interference, while its close ally the United States issued sanctions against top ICC judges and prosecutors.

Leaving the ICC would have made Hungary, which happens to be one of the founding members of the ICC treaty, the only country in the European Union not to recognise the court’s jurisdiction. Till now, it is only Burundi and the Philippines those which have withdrawn from the ICC.

Set up in 2002 and backed by 125 member states, the Hague-based tribunal seeks to prosecute individuals responsible for the world’s gravest crimes when countries are unwilling or unable to do so themselves.

Since it was founded, the ICC has opened more than 30 cases for alleged war crimes, crimes against humanity, genocide and offences against the administration of justice. But it has been struggling against a lack of recognition and enforcement power.

Israel, the US, China and Russia are among countries that do not recognise the jurisdiction of the ICC, hampering its ability to investigate their nationals. Netanyahu is due to visit Hungary in October this year for the anniversary of the 1956 Hungarian Uprising.

“I believe that if the country is a member of the International Criminal Court, and a person who is wanted by the court enters our territory, then that person must be taken into custody”, Magyar told reporters in April.

Team Maverick.