Lawmakers overwhelmingly backed a proposal from the minority Labour government to allow the widespread arming of police.

It will be up to police chiefs to set the terms and extent of arming officers, depending on location, timing and assignment.

No exact date has been set for the law to come into effect but the country's justice ministry, which is in charge of internal security, is targeting sometime next year.

"Everyone in Norway must feel safe. The police must be able to deal with constantly evolving crime," Justice Minister Astri Aas-Hansen said last month when the proposed law change was unveiled.

Norway's crime rate is low compared to other countries around the world but is edging upwards.

The Scandinavian country, which is home to 5.6 million people, saw 38 homicides in 2023 -- the highest number since 2023, according to police violent crime figures.

Currently, Norwegian police can only carry weapons for limited periods and in special circumstances.

Normally, they are unarmed, although weapons may still be carried in the boot of their vehicle.

Lawmaker Ingvild Wetrhus Thorsvik, whose centrist Liberal Party was one of the few to oppose the proposal, said Norway had "crossed a line that marks a radical change for our rule of law".

"With widespread arming, the police lose their civil character," she was quoted as saying by Norwegian news agency NTB.