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On April 1, 2025, Hungary announced its withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC), triggering a storm of legal, diplomatic, and ethical questions across Europe. The decision was not made in a vacuum. It came just days before the controversial visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Budapest—his first since the ICC issued a warrant for his arrest earlier this year over alleged war crimes committed during Israel’s military operations in Gaza.
The Hungarian government, led by Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, justified the move by declaring the ICC a “politicized institution” that allegedly targets democratic nations. This statement followed the Court’s decision to investigate and issue warrants for Israeli officials, including Netanyahu, for actions taken during a prolonged and deadly conflict with Hamas.
Netanyahu’s Visit: A Gesture of Solidarity or Provocation?
On April 3, Netanyahu arrived in Budapest to a red-carpet welcome by Orbán. The visit came amidst growing international pressure for Hungary to comply with the Rome Statute and detain Netanyahu. However, Hungary’s withdrawal rendered any legal obligation moot, allowing Orbán to meet Netanyahu freely and publicly.
The Israeli leader hailed Hungary as a “courageous nation standing for justice and truth,” while Orbán emphasized the importance of sovereign decision-making in international affairs. The visit included closed-door meetings on security, energy cooperation, and migration policy, but its symbolism outshone its agenda.
EU Reactions: A Quiet Fury
European Union officials were swift to express concern, if not outright condemnation. Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC raises serious legal and diplomatic issues for the EU, whose common foreign policy framework is built on adherence to international law. Several European Parliament members have called for sanctions, freezing of structural funds, or even legal action under Article 7 of the EU Treaty, which can suspend Hungary’s voting rights in the Council.
However, Hungary’s strategic role in Eastern Europe, its position within NATO, and its ties to key EU industries complicate the path toward punishment. The EU has long struggled with Orbán’s democratic backsliding, and this latest development only sharpens the question of whether the bloc can enforce its own rules.
Human Rights Outcry
Human Rights Watch and other advocacy groups have slammed Hungary’s move, describing it as a “dangerous precedent” that undermines global accountability. By openly defying the ICC and welcoming a fugitive under international law, Hungary is sending a message that geopolitics can trump justice.
Legal scholars warn that this could embolden other countries to flout ICC rulings, effectively weakening one of the last remaining mechanisms for prosecuting war crimes and crimes against humanity.
What Should the EU Do Now?
The EU faces a critical moment. If it allows Hungary’s actions to go unchallenged, it risks eroding its credibility as a defender of international law. Several measures are on the table:
- Triggering Article 7 proceedings
- Suspending financial support under the EU Cohesion Fund
- Diplomatic isolation within EU structures
- Establishing an internal EU mechanism to review and enforce ICC cooperation
More importantly, the EU must decide whether its values are expendable in the face of realpolitik, or if it will take a principled stand—even at the cost of internal cohesion.
A Moment of Reckoning
Hungary’s withdrawal from the ICC and the hosting of Netanyahu represent more than isolated incidents. They mark a potential turning point in the rules-based international order and the unity of the European Union.
The next steps taken—or not taken—by Brussels could define Europe’s commitment to justice, international law, and democratic norms for years to come.
What do you think the EU should do? Leave a comment and let us know your thoughts. Check back with us every day—we’ll be following this story as it develops and holding those in power to account.
