Hungary Reverses Orbán Policy, Rejoins Criminal Court
Hungary's parliament voted to reverse its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court, blocking a process initiated by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán after his party's electoral defeat.
The National Assembly approved the legislation on May 27 with 133 votes in favor, 37 against, and five abstentions, according to Brussels Signal. The measure was fast-tracked through parliament by the governing Tisza Party, overriding opposition from Orbán’s Fidesz alliance.
The reversal follows a landslide electoral victory by Prime Minister Péter Magyar and his Tisza Party in April 2026. Magyar, who took office earlier this month after his cabinet was sworn in on May 12, had campaigned on a promise to halt Hungary’s exit from the Rome Statute and restore the country’s standing within international judicial institutions.
Orbán had announced Hungary’s intention to withdraw from the ICC in April 2025 during a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces an ICC arrest warrant issued in November 2024 over alleged war crimes in Gaza. The former prime minister condemned the warrant as a witch hunt and branded the court a political instrument rather than an impartial body.
Hungary formally notified the United Nations of its withdrawal in June 2025. Under Article 127 of the Rome Statute, that withdrawal would have become effective on June 2, 2026.
Hungary Returns to ICC Compliance
The new government published the formal revocation in the official gazette on May 22, canceling the termination of Hungary’s membership in both the Rome Statute and the related agreement on privileges and immunities.
The bill now awaits the signature of President Tamás Sulyok to become law.
Hungary was a founding member of the ICC when the court was established in 2002, and the country remains one of 27 EU member states party to the tribunal. The reversal restores Hungary’s alignment with Brussels on a key matter of international law enforcement.
Netanyahu Invited Despite Arrest Warrant
Magyar has signaled that Hungary will now comply with ICC arrest warrants against any individual, including Netanyahu. Despite this, the prime minister has extended an invitation to the Israeli leader to visit Budapest later this year, creating a potential diplomatic standoff if Netanyahu accepts.
Government statements have framed the decision as a reaffirmation of Hungary’s commitment to the international legal order and multilateral institutions. The move is part of a broader shift under Magyar toward closer European integration following the conclusion of Orbán’s 16-year tenure.
The policy reversal highlights the sharp departure from Orbán’s nationalist and sovereigntist posture, which often put Budapest at odds with EU leadership in Brussels. Whether Magyar’s government can sustain its westward pivot while balancing competing international pressures remains to be seen.
With information from Brussels Signal
