More than half of young adults think that conscription applying only to men is contrary to equality, Yle reports in an analysis by political journalist Kalle Hyttinen. The finding shows that the debate over conscription is not only about defence policy, but also about equal treatment between genders.

The issue matters because conscription affects large age groups in Finland and continues to divide opinion when gender equality is discussed. According to Yle, the majority view among young adults suggests that the fairness of the system is increasingly being judged through an equality lens.