December 19, 2018: Viola Amherd, one of two new women joining Switzerland’s seven-member executive team on 1 January 2019, will head the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS), a position focused mainly on military matters. This will be the first time the position has been held by a woman, according to RTS.

There are currently very few women in the Swiss military compared to some other European countries. In 2017, less than 1% of Swiss military personal were women. The percentages of women in the armed forces are significantly higher in Sweden (16%), Germany (12%), France (15%) and Norway (12%).

Read more: Switzerland's army to be headed by a woman for the first time (lenews.ch)