Dominik Drdul
Dominik Drdul | |
|---|---|
| Member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic | |
| In office 12 May 2020 – 25 October 2023 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 28 November 1997 Trnava, Slovakia |
| Party | OĽaNO |
| Education | University of Trnava |
| Occupation | Activist, lawyer |
Dominik Drdul (born 28 November 1997) is a Slovak politician, lawyer and disability rights activist. He served as a member of the National Council of the Slovak Republic from 2020 to 2023 for the Ordinary People and Independent Personalities (OĽaNO) movement. At the time of his election he was the youngest member of parliament in Slovak history at the age of 22.[1][2]
Early life and education
[edit]Drdul was born on 28 November 1997 in Trnava.[3] He was born with spina bifida and hydrocephalus and has used a wheelchair since early childhood. His parents, being trained in pedagogy emphasised independence; he attended mainstream primary school and selective grammar school.[4][5]
He studied law at the University of Trnava. Already as a high school student he was active in disability advocacy. In 2014 he spoke at a European Commission event in Brussels about the struggles of disabled person. In 2016 he completed an internship with MEP Jana Žitňanská. He received the Student Personality of Slovakia award in the law category awarded by Junior Chamber International.[6]
Political career
[edit]Drdul first stood in the 2019 European Parliament elections for OĽaNO (5th place on the list) but was not elected. In the 2020 parliamentary elections he was placed 20th on the OĽaNO-led list and was elected with 6,334 preferential votes, becoming the youngest MP in the history of the National Council at the age of 22.[1][7]
During his term he focused on disability rights and accessibility. He supported legislation that significantly increased state contributions for the compensation of severe disability, including for housing adaptation and the purchase of motor vehicles. He served on parliamentary committees including the Special Control Committee for the National Security Authority and the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee. In the 2023 elections he ran from 34th place on the list of Hnutie Slovensko but did not retain a seat.[3]
Underage texting allegations
[edit]In late July 2026 Czech media outlet CNN Prima NEWS reported, and Slovak outlets subsequently confirmed, that Dominik Drdul had engaged in online conversations on Instagram with three profiles presented as 13- and 14-year-old girls from Czech Republic, during which he sent intimate photographs. The profiles were operated by two 17-year-old Czech individuals acting as “predator hunters”. Drdul initially denied knowledge of the communications; he later stated that ages cannot be reliably verified on social media and that private messages should not have been published.[8][9]
Igor Matovič, leader of the Slovakia Movement (rebranded OĽaNO), publicly distanced the movement from Drdul, stating that they had had no connection for years, that Drdul had not been a member, and adding that the movement could not be held responsible for the actions of an adult.[8]
As of early August 2026 the Slovak General Prosecutor's Office had begun reviewing the possibility of pressing criminal charges.[10]
Personal life
[edit]Drdul lives in Trnava. Despite his disability, he holds a driving licence, drives, exercises regularly and has described himself as largely independent in daily life. He remains outspoken about barriers faced by people with disabilities in Slovakia and the need for genuine inclusion rather than purely formal accessibility measures.[7]
References
[edit]- 1 2 "Najmladším zvoleným poslancom je Dominik Drdul z hnutia OĽaNO". Denník N. 1 March 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Dominik Drdul". SME.sk. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Dominik Drdul". HN Online. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Študuje, posilňuje, má 22 rokov, je na vozíku: Miesto na kandidátke som si vypýtal". Denník N. 17 February 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "„S Dominikom je na vozíčku celá naša rodina," hovorí mama neskutočného mladého muža". Pravda / Ahojmama. 30 November 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Dominik Drdúl je víťazom kategórie právo v rámci súťaže Študentská osobnosť Slovenska". Veda na dosah. 10 January 2018. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Náš najmladší poslanec v histórii búra stereotypy o vozíčkaroch". Dobré noviny. 31 May 2020. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- 1 2 "Matovič o kauze Drdula: Nemôžeme zodpovedať za činy dospelého". Standard.sk. 2 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Bývalý slovenský politik si písal s tromi českými dievčatami, ktoré ešte nemali 15 rokov". Denník N. 1 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.
- ↑ "Prokuratúra preveruje kauzu exposlanca odhaleného „lovcami pedofilov"". Aktuality.sk. 3 August 2026. Retrieved 3 August 2026.