Hungary's parliament reverses Orbán's ICC withdrawal decision

Hungarian lawmakers voted by a large majority to keep the country in the International Criminal Court, reversing a withdrawal initiated by former Prime Minister Viktor Orbán last year. The vote marks a significant shift in Hungary's foreign policy stance.

Hungary's parliament voted overwhelmingly on Tuesday to remain a member of the International Criminal Court (ICC), effectively nullifying the withdrawal process that Viktor Orbán had set in motion during his time as prime minister.

The decision represents a dramatic reversal of course for Hungary, which had been on track to become one of the few countries to exit the Hague-based court. Orbán's government had initiated the withdrawal last year amid controversy over the ICC's arrest warrant issued against Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The parliamentary vote signals a new direction for Hungarian foreign policy under the country's changed political leadership. The ICC, established in 2002, prosecutes individuals for war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide when national courts are unable or unwilling to do so.

Hungary's decision to stay in the ICC is being closely watched across Europe, particularly given the court's ongoing investigations related to the war in Ukraine. The reversal may also ease tensions between Budapest and its EU and NATO partners, who had expressed concern over Orbán's earlier moves to distance Hungary from Western institutions.