Member states of the International Criminal Court are scheduled to cast ballots on Friday regarding the potential dismissal of chief prosecutor Karim Khan amid accusations of sexual misconduct.

Khan, aged 56, rejects all allegations of improper behavior. His legal team has labeled the governing body's move toward this vote as unlawful, procedurally flawed and lacking evidentiary support.

The ballot unfolds against a backdrop of fresh American rebukes toward the war crimes tribunal, which Washington regards as a challenge to its national authority.

Should member states remove Khan, backers would view it as the outcome of political influence following his pursuit of arrest warrants for top Israeli leaders over alleged war crimes in Gaza. Israel rejects the war crimes assertions, does not belong to the court and has branded the warrants invalid.

Even if Khan endures the ballot, his standing would suffer and critics of the tribunal, founded in 2002 to address war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity, would gain fresh ammunition against it.

Rubio labels court figures as 'lunatics'

While visiting the Philippines on Thursday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described 'lunatics and crazies' within the ICC and affirmed that no American political or military personnel would ever face trial there, echoing longstanding objections.

The United States, also outside the court's membership, has levied sanctions against 11 ICC judges and prosecutors including Khan over the warrants targeting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-defense minister Yoav Gallant plus an earlier inquiry into US forces in Afghanistan.

Court oversight officials have recommended Khan's removal for serious misconduct tied to an inappropriate sexual relationship with a junior colleague, per documents reviewed by Reuters.

Securing Khan's dismissal requires an absolute majority of at least 63 out of 125 member states in a confidential vote at UN headquarters in New York. The process is slated for around 3 p.m. with results anticipated by 5:30 p.m.

France declared on Thursday it would support Khan's removal. He has remained suspended since June following voluntary leave that began in May 2025 pending the internal probe's conclusion.

The Netherlands, home to the court in The Hague, has confirmed it too would back his dismissal.

New election to start if Khan is removed

The junior ICC employee who accused Khan addressed the public for the first time last week during a CNN interview, reiterating claims of a non-consensual sexual relationship with the prosecutor.

Khan's attorneys informed Reuters that he rejects 'any sexual relationship of any kind' with the staff member.

Should Khan be dismissed, the process to elect a successor would launch immediately, though a new prosecutor is unlikely to be chosen before next year.

Existing ICC warrants would stay active regardless of Khan's status since only the court's judges hold power to revoke them.