From citizen, voter.

Since you were a small child, you remember politicians with fiery speeches in the squares, hollow promises and big words – the same every time people flocked to the polls. Words, loud words, terrible talks about Great Homelands, about wealth, about opportunities, about an ideal world ready to become reality - as long as you always cast the right vote.

Then, silence. You watch life from the channels. And you wait. Scandals parade in the news of the eight concerning the respective "others", the vicious and cunning "those" who, unlike "us", do not want the good of the country. Terrible news, sometimes about unemployment, poverty and threats of war and sometimes about the economic prosperity that will bring this or that public project that gave work to the best man's construction company and distributed money to the soybeans of the convenient but incompetent political elite of Athens.

In the meantime, life goes on and you wonder what more you could do for your country. What more to say, what more to offer. No matter how willing you are, no matter how capable you are, no one is asking for your help. No one needs you, the country - they tell us - is in worthy hands, but not yours anyway. That's why you're waiting. You are waiting to see the opportunities that were promised to you, to experience again the greatness of participating in a great Idea, the idea of a free and strong prosperous country.

Nothing happens, no matter how much you wait, no matter how much you want it. Luckily there's the eight o'clock news and you feel like you're somehow participating in this noble struggle, even if it's a mumbling monk, sunk into the comfort of your living room couch.

Your government embodies the executive power, controls the majority of the House, appoints the supreme judges, arranges its friends in the independent authorities and recruits the mercenary channels.

You sit and wait. You expect what you were promised. Freedom, participation, opportunities, meritocracy, equality. You feel lucky for Our Republic. Lucky that you have the opportunity to participate in the decision-making. For the good of your country. That's what they promised you. This is what you expect.

Until the elections come again. Ardent words, big words, ideals and visions, all over again. Finally. You feel strong. You vote. But you don't just do that. You hope. Now everything will change, you hear it all the time from the mouths of all the candidates. Now the opportunities will come. Now you will be given the opportunity to offer. The ideal world is just around the corner.

Then, silence. You are watching life again from the channels.

You are never given a chance to contribute, no one even asks your opinion. You don't choose what happens. You don't even vote for them. No one needs your help and skills. At the very most, you won't be drawn as a juror or a member of any election committee. It is forbidden - you know - the lucky ones in power. The ancient democracies probably did not know what was happening to them to let ordinary citizens take part in the government of the land. We discovered the real Democracy. Not of the citizens, but of the voters. What no;

When will the cycle be broken, you sometimes wonder, but it's too late. The Democracy you longed for never comes. You are not a citizen, nor have you ever become one. You are only a voter who for four years is condemned to silence and isolation.

Our Republic became their Republic. Not by arms, not by revolution, not even by some agreement. With your own blessings, with your own praises and wishes.

Maybe, it's not too late, you think. Maybe, I can do something for my country after all, you hope. A fight for a real democratic state, a cause that finally fills you!

From a young age you learn that we live in a Republic. Now that you know the truth, it's time to ask yourself. 

What am I doing for my country and what could I have done?