A variable compression ratio mechanism for an internal combustion engine includes a gear reducer that varies an engine compression ratio. The gear reducer includes an input-side member connected to a rotation shaft of the actuator; an output-side member that transmits a reduced rotation of the actuator to the control shaft; a fixed member fixed to a housing of the actuator; and an intermediate member that transmits torque from the input-side member to the output-side member and the fixed member, and has a first gear portion engaged with the fixed member and a second gear portion engaged with the output-side member. A ratio of a number of teeth of the fixed gear portion to a number of teeth of the first gear portion is higher than a ratio of a number of teeth of the output-side gear portion to a number of teeth of the second gear portion.