July 10, 2018: Finnish women have been doing voluntary military service since 1995 and this year a record 1,500 applied. But for the first time since the military was opened up to women, the idea has been floated of temporarily excluding them as a way of cutting costs.

"We have to find savings somewhere," said Defence Minister Jussi Niinisto. A couple of days later, after a heated debate, he rejected the idea and said he didn't even back it himself. But his short-lived proposal has shone a light on the separate roles of men and women, in a country where men have to serve up to a year of military or civilian (community) service from the age of 18 while women can choose.

Read more: Finland Has Second Thoughts about its Women Soldiers (www.bbc.com)