Hungary has declared its intention to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC), a decision that was announced by Gergely Gulyás, a senior official in Prime Minister Viktor Orbán’s government. The timing of the announcement has drawn significant attention, as it came on the same day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Budapest for a state visit.
Netanyahu is currently facing an ICC arrest warrant issued in connection with alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity related to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. The warrant, issued in November, has been condemned by Netanyahu as politically motivated and “antisemitic.” Orbán’s government, a strong ally of Israel, has previously dismissed the ICC’s ruling as having no bearing in Hungary.
Hungary was among the founding members of the ICC, which currently has 125 state parties. However, the court has long faced criticism from several nations, with major powers such as the United States, Russia, China, and Israel refusing to recognize its jurisdiction. Israel, in particular, disputes the ICC’s authority but has been subject to its rulings due to the court’s 2021 determination that it has jurisdiction over the occupied Palestinian territories, including Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem.
The ICC was established under the Rome Statute to prosecute individuals responsible for genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity. Hungary’s decision to leave the court raises concerns about its commitment to international justice and aligns it with countries that have distanced themselves from the institution in the past. While no official timeline has been provided for Hungary’s formal exit, the move signals a significant shift in the country’s stance on global accountability mechanisms.
