1. These days, you may be holding (or have held) the Postal Vote envelope for the June European Elections. What emotions arise when you consider that, as Greeks living permanently abroad, you now have the opportunity to participate in the electoral process? And how different is the feeling of experiencing this opportunity, having contributed to this achievement through Deon Policy Institute?

Both of us have been living abroad for over ten years, so it has been many years since we last exercised our voting rights, as practically Greeks abroad couldn't participate in the electoral process unless they traveled to Greece on election day. Last year, in the double national elections of 2023, some Greeks abroad who met certain criteria, were allowed to vote from their place of residence in person at local consulates and Greek communities. This was a huge victory for the Greek diaspora; consulates became part of the celebration of Democracy for the first time. However, the physical presence requirement alone excluded thousands of people from the process, especially in large countries like the USA, where it was very difficult to travel to consulates on election day to vote.

The establishment of the postal vote for expatriates removed both the restrictive criteria to register to vote as well as the requirement of physical presence to cast a ballot. The postal vote was introduced as a way to facilitate participation in  elections. However, for Greeks living abroad, it is equivalent to granting the right of participating in elections .

Indeed, at “Deon,” we are doubly happy with the postal vote. Our institute submitted specific proposals to the Ministry of the Interior to allow people to register for the postal vote using the ID cards and passports as identification means, in addition to the proposed Taxisnet codes (the platform used to file taxes in Greece). This is necessary so that all Greek citizens can register to vote since, for example, Greeks in America and Australia have IDs and passports but not a tax identification number. As we heard from the field, many of our compatriots have used this option.

This proposal was a continuation of our efforts to support the diaspora vote from 2023. Last year, we made proposals to increase registrations for national elections, which were implemented by the relevant authorities at the time and continue to apply today for the postal vote. The mere existence of the postal vote shows that the Greek state wants to strengthen the bonds of the diaspora with the country, and that alone is a huge step.

2. 49,234 expatriate Greeks will vote by mail in the European elections. What percentage of Greeks abroad does this number represent, and how significant is this participation rate for the relationship between the diaspora and the Greek state?

As you know, the Greek nation has historically had a very large diaspora. Already from Homeric times, Greeks colonized the coasts of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. In the 20th century, mainly due to successive wars, emigration became a necessity for a large part of the Greek population who moved to the west and Australia. Finally, during the crisis, we know that at least 500,000 Greeks moved abroad.

No one knows for sure how many people of Greek descent or nationality live abroad. However, it is estimated to be at least a few million, with many saying that there is “another Greece outside Greece ''. In relation to these estimated millions, those who registered to vote by mail are a drop in the ocean.

However, if we view it this way, we would be doing an injustice to the entire effort. In such cases, we must examine the upward trend, which is undoubtedly positive. Approximately 27,000 expatriates registered to vote from abroad in the previous national elections, and about 17,000 exercised their right. This means that we now have a doubling in terms of registrations from the national elections and a tripling in terms of those who ultimately voted. In any case, 50,000 Greek citizens have re-established unbreakable ties with Greece and can co-decide on its future.

Obviously, there is room for improvement. Postal voting should be accompanied by a global campaign to inform Greeks worldwide so that the message reaches everywhere. This campaign should include targeted awareness campaigns for Greek citizens wherever possible, information dissemination through the academic, cultural, and professional associations as well as Greek churches. Finally, this campaign should involve Greek individuals with global recognition. A video of Giannis Antetokounmpo ‘scoring a ballot’ in a voting box on social media is equivalent to countless hours of advertising time.

3. What is the Deon Policy Institute, and in which areas does it operate? What are your goals?

Deon Policy Institute is the first think tank of the Greek diaspora. Our mission is to organize and transform the Hellenic Diaspora into a catalyst for the progress and prosperity of Greece.

Together with other young Greeks of the diaspora, we founded "Deon" in early 2023 because we wanted to contribute to Greece with our knowledge and experiences from abroad, and there was no tangible way to do so. We recognized that there was an opportunity to bridge the gap between the diaspora and policymakers in the country.

We develop evidence-based policy proposals for specific problems or opportunities in the country, in collaboration with experts from abroad, leveraging their knowledge and best practices. We strive to make our proposals as specific as possible to increase the chances of their implementation.

The areas we focus on are education, entrepreneurship, energy and climate change, and the diaspora. So far, five of our proposals have been implemented, and we expect another to be legislated soon! Meanwhile, we are preparing five more proposals related to the repatriation of Greek professors, technologies for wildfires, small modular nuclear reactors, the creation of spin-offs using intellectual property, and the reduction of VAT on period products.

4. How open is the government to hearing and studying your reports? And which of these have been adopted?

As we mentioned earlier, five of our proposals have been implemented, and we expect another one to be legislated soon. These include the diaspora vote for the national elections and postal vote for the European elections as discussed earlier. We have also proposed the introduction of visiting professors in Greek universities, the expansion of rights for joint chairs, and most recently, the announcement by the Ministry of Migration and Asylum for the creation of a Talent Visa.

All our proposals have one thing in common: they are based on global best practices adapted to the Greek reality.

One such proposal is the Talent visa, which we hope will be legislated with the next Immigration law. This new visa will allow recent graduates from the top 100 universities worldwide to come to our country with a simple process without having secured a specific job. In this way, Greece can attract highly skilled individuals and give them the opportunity to live in Greece and explore the job market before deciding to join a company or start their own business. This visa can become a beacon for talent for Greece and can have a multiplier effect, similar to visas in other countries like the UK's High Potential Individual Visa and Japan's J-Find Visa.

Based on the results, we believe that this particular government is open to changes, and we will continue to present proposals that we believe can help the country. However, our role is not only to make proposals that will be implemented. We also want to contribute to public discourse and inform the public about potential opportunities for the country. For example, there is a new technology of nuclear reactors - small modular reactors - that could contribute to Greece's energy transition and energy independence. We believe it is important to responsibly inform Greek citizens about this technological revolution, which is why we are preparing an information campaign on the subject.

5. What issue concerning the Greek diaspora in the USA should the government prioritize, and what do you propose in this regard?

A major issue concerning the Greek diaspora in the USA is Greek language education. Thousands of second and third-generation Greek children in the USA and Canada do not have access to Greek schools, so they do not learn the Greek language. Language, however, is fundamental in the creation of national identity. Without the language, they gradually assimilate and lose their connection to the homeland. There is a need for a comprehensive Greek language education plan from kindergarten to university that will provide the opportunity to acquire language degrees and allow for studies in public universities in Greece. Such a plan should be flexible and include the establishment of day schools where there is a critical mass of Greeks, the integration of Greek language teaching into public schools, which can be done here in the USA at the municipal or county level, the strengthening of local afternoon schools in collaboration with the Greek Orthodox Church of America, which offers a lot in this area, and the financial support of chairs of Modern and Ancient Greek in major American universities.

Greek language and its preservation must be a national priority, and therefore a state priority. Now is the time for such a discussion - and for other issues concerning the diaspora - since the government has announced that it will publish a national strategy for the diaspora.

George Laskaris, President, Deon Policy Institute: George Laskaris is a nuclear physicist and works as a business consultant. He completed his undergraduate studies at NTUA's School of Applied Mathematical and Physical Sciences, his PhD at Duke University, and his postdocs at Stanford University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the USA.

Afroditi Xydi, Executive Director, Deon Policy Institute: Afroditi Xydi is an environmental engineer. She studied at Johns Hopkins University and earned her master's degree at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). She also holds an MBA from Harvard Business School. She has worked for five years as a management consultant in the Middle East.