Hungary’s decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has drawn praise from Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini, who described the move as “a choice of justice and freedom, of sovereignty and courage.”
The Hungarian parliament voted Tuesday to initiate the withdrawal, marking a significant break from European Union consensus on international justice.
In a social media post, Hungary’s Foreign Minister Péter Szijjártó wrote, “With this decision, we refuse to be part of a politicized institution that has lost its impartiality and credibility.”
The announcement of Hungary’s intentions was made just as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began a four-day visit to Budapest last month. Netanyahu currently faces an arrest warrant from the ICC for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
On Tuesday, a spokesperson for the European Commission, Anouar El Anouni, reaffirmed the EU’s commitment to the ICC, once again putting Budapest on a collision course with Brussels. “We support the International Criminal Court and the principles set out in the Rome Statute. The EU respects the independence and impartiality of the Court. And we are firmly committed to international criminal justice and the fight against impunity,” he said.
El Anouni also reminded Hungary of its legal obligations under the EU treaties, stating, “Under Article 24(3) of the Treaty on European Union, Hungary is obliged to actively and unreservedly support the Union’s external security policy in a spirit of loyalty and mutual solidarity.”
Speaking in the Hungarian parliament, Szijjártó recalled Hungary’s early role in supporting the Court’s foundation. Hungary signed the Rome Statute in 1999 and ratified it in 2001, but the agreement was never enshrined into Hungarian domestic law. He also confirmed that a formal notification will be sent to the U.N. Secretary-General, and the withdrawal will take effect one year after that date.
Szijjártó criticized what he described as a broader trend of politicization in international institutions. “It is clear that when there is a conflict going on in the world, a conflict between nations or countries, everyone tries to politicize international organizations in such a way that they can then use them for their own political purposes,” he said. “We have always rejected this.”
The move echoes previous criticisms by U.S. President Donald Trump, who sanctioned the ICC in response to investigations into American and Israeli actions.
Both Trump and Hungary’s current government have characterized the Court as ideologically driven and hostile to national sovereignty.
