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The Finnish consular network was developed in the 1920s following the country’s independence. It provides an opportunity to observe the development in a smaller state of a consular network dedicated to a variety of tasks (mainly services to the diaspora and trade monitoring). There was a strong debate over the role of these consuls, their recruitment, and the balance to be struck between the diplomatic and consular networks. These debates were not only related to foreign policy but also had domestic political aspects: diplomats were seen as elitist and expensive in a context where the Finnish state wished to limit the resources devoted to its diplomatic network. Consuls appeared as a reasonable and inexpensive alternative. Over time, the system expanded, and some Finnish consuls even became involved in France’s 1939-1945 political developments.