Fast confession – Dominik Feri: I’ll quit politics when...

How would you describe yourself?

As a twenty-one year old student of the Faculty of Law, who is interested in politics and tries to share this interest with people who are enthusiastic about the same.

When did you decide to enter politics and why?

It wasn’t a decision made in a moment, but rather a gradual process, ever since I got involved with cultural and social activities in Teplice at the age of fifteen.

How did you get involved in that?

I always liked history and I popularised the history of our city. This gradually evolved into me running for office. Nevertheless, it all sped up with moving to Prague and using social networks as a fairly effective tool for promoting or sharing one’s opinion.

Can life in Prague and Teplice even be compared?

Teplice has fewer inhabitants than Žižkov (Prague district). One social group is entirely lacking, and that is university students. There simply isn’t a university. The same applies to nearby Ústí nad Labem. There is a university there, but Ústí definitely isn’t a university city. Teplice also isn’t as lively as Prague.

So I guess life is better for you here.

I can’t exactly say that. I look for something different in each city. Here I look for fun and in Teplice I look for peace. So I study there during the exam period, because I know nothing will disturb me. There is no risk of somebody writing me on Wednesday saying “Hey, let’s go out,” because there is nowhere to go, surprisingly.

Do you ever regret entering politics?

I always explain it by saying that in theory, I can take advantage of what I manage to do now for the rest of my life. I see it among my friends, classmates, who are involved in certain activities like a debate club… they have a head-start over their peers.

You travel to debate politics at secondary schools. How does a debate like that work?

I rarely did it as a debate. In order to have a reasonable debate, you need a debate partner that knows something about the given topic. I discovered, to be blunt, that most people are not interested in politics. There is even empirical data about it. This is why I actually conduct a 90 minute talk, during which I try to touch on various topics. I try to make it maximally low-threshold. I don’t explain what value added tax is, but I explain what taxes are in general, or what the Parliament or a political party is. I meet with success because the students are happy to get out of normal classes, and it’s kind of a stand-up show so they are entertained. But I don’t have any lofty goals. It’s enough if the students take away three or four bits of information, and I’m entirely satisfied. The lecture is followed by an informal gathering over beer. Sometimes I am invited to debates, but I enjoy those less.

Are you capable of arguing with students? Have you ever had a conflict?

When I’m there and there are a hundred people facing me, then no, but sometimes I get in an argument with somebody after a debate. Usually we reach a compromise. Sometimes I meet people who have very extreme opinions, for instance regarding Okamura or Konvička, but when the person sees that I’m not a complete idiot, but only a partial idiot, then they accept it. Actually, it’s beneficial for both parties. For young people, I’m often the first politician they’ve ever met. It is also the first instance outside of civic studies and their homes where they can really comment on politics. Model situation – a young person says something bad about Zeman over Sunday lunch and their father says “What do you know about it?!” So there is no mutual respect, whereas at a student debate there is.

Do you think you are the leader type?

Probably not, although that may seem absurd. I must say that I want to quit politics. I am studying law and I would like to keep practice law. You have to be something of a leader there, but not like in politics.

Which president will you vote for?

Specifically?

Yes.

If nothing changes and nothing unforeseeable happens, then most likely Jiří Drahoš. In my opinion he combines the pros of other candidates, meaning he is humane, humble, educated, tolerant, tries to find common ground and reconcile two hostile camps together.

What do you think about our current president?

I feel sorry for Miloš Zeman. Everybody can see that he is deteriorating. A virtue of any politician should be that they know when it’s time to leave, when to close up the books and decide that it’s been enough. I’m not saying he should abdicate now, not at all. But making the decision to run for office… It’s not that easy. I am genuinely sorry for Miloš Zeman. He has difficulty walking, is losing focus. Now it means that he will have to survive, in the sense of manage, an additional few months of election campaigning. If it works out (for him, not for us), we will have to survive another five years, and this time I mean survive as in survive.

Would you ever like to be president?

I would like to practice law. I have no ambition to be president.

You are studying at the Faculty of Law. What kind of student are you?

Lazy. I’ve always been a lazy student.

It was your birthday in July! Belated happy birthday!

Thank you!

How did you celebrate?

To be honest, I hate birthday. I don’t enjoy the ceremonies. I celebrated with by friends, we got drunk in Malá Strana as per tradition. I had to work on campaign affairs for TOP 09 on my birthday. I love trains, so I bought a full-day ticket for the Pendolino train and rode around the country. It’s great having a mobile office.

What did you get?

Socks and other clothes, books. I don’t want anything from my parents anymore, so we just went out for lunch together.

How do you feel when people make fun of you, for instance on Facebook?

I’ve been facing this ever since I entered the media sphere. I consider it a normal thing, and I don’t get offended even by the worst comments in forums on the internet, like those saying that I’m a bushman, orangutan, monkey… What I find far more interesting is when I meet the given individual in real life and it turns out that the differences between their statements in real life and in virtual reality are quite fundamental. It confirms my idea that peoples’ opinions are largely influenced by media image and hoaxes. In reality, I can easily have a conversation with the given person.

Do you have a girlfriend?

Yes.

Will you tell us something about her?

She is studying political sciences, but works for a different party than the one I’m in.

Doesn’t that bother you?

No (laughs). Luckily it’s a democratic party.

Would you be able to date woman that is not at all interested in politics?

I’m afraid not. Considering the type of events I attend, it’s great when your partner accompanies you and doesn’t get bored.

How do you perceive Czechs’ fashion sense?

I don’t think we dress extremely poorly. But we don’t dress as stylishly as the French, because we simply don’t have the offer of ready-made clothing.

Are you inclined towards brand name clothing?

Not in the lease.

Is there anything you would never put on?

Probably leggings, I don’t have the right figure or gender for those (laughs).

Do you have a wish that hasn’t come true yet?

One for sure. When I was six, my parents sent me to music lessons and told me to choose what instrument I want to play. I really liked the accordion. I played it, but I stopped and now I would really like to start again. That’s my wish. I don’t have much time for music now, which I really regret. I also play piano, jazz… So hopefully there will be time.