International public opinion was stunned by the unprecedented bloody invasion of the US Capitol by supporters of outgoing President Donald Trump, in which five people died. A week later, the House of Representatives voted in favour of impeaching Donald Trump in the Senate, formally accusing him of inciting sedition. Trump thus becomes the first US president to be impeached twice, and if he is convicted of inciting sedition, it is open to the Senate to ban him from running for any office again.

Many serious political analysts had already since the election of the outgoing president pointed out the danger that Trump's populism posed to American democracy. Much was also written about the social problems of the multicultural American society, which contributed to the rise of «Trumpism». However, the dangers and arbitrariness that threaten democratic regimes are not exclusive to the United States, as similar phenomena of populism and aberrations - not so blatant at present - are also undermining democracies on the Old Continent and, of course, Greece, the birthplace of the democratic ideal.

Churchill had said: «democracy is the worst form of government, except for all the others.» The strangeness of the quote is explained when we consider the delicate and fragile balances required for quality democratic governance. It requires respect and transparency in the functioning of democratic institutions, of course, but it also requires political officials of moral constitution, sincere and selfless defenders of the principles of law and the public interest.

However, it is a «common secret» that in the modern Greek political scene there are also unethical opportunists who use their political office to serve selfish purposes. They gossip behind the scenes, distort the meaning and function of institutions and even of justice itself - in the exceptional cases where they are given the opportunity. Equality, egalitarianism, meritocracy, good administration are the victims on the altar of their arrogance and individualism.

It's time for all these unworthy to serve democracy to get the message from Trump's crushing defeat. As we read in a political analysis, «To avoid a repeat of the outrages of the day before yesterday, there must be no impunity for either the physical or moral perpetrators.» Ancient tragedy also teaches us this: hubris, arrogance and the violation of the values of the law bring Nemesis and Tisis, the crushing of the arrogant schemers, is a law of the law. Democratic institutions must and can work, not only in the U.S. but also in the cradle of democracy for Purification, Equality, Dignity and consequent social progress.