As many as three million protesters have taken to the streets in recent weeks The French Senate has passed a controversial pension reform bill, which has caused a series of strikes and protests around France.
The senators approved President Nicolas Sarkozy’s plan to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62, and it could become law as early as next week.
Mr Sarkozy says the measure is necessary to reduce the deficit.
But hundreds of thousands have protested against what they see as an attack on their rights.
Senators passed the motion to raise the retirement age by 177 votes to 153, after the government used a special measure known as a guillotine to cut short the debate on the bill.
The protest movement has been spearheaded by the trade unions, although all sections of society have been represented – including schoolchildren.
Most of the rallies have been peaceful, but on Friday clashes broke out at an oil refinery blockaded by workers after Mr Sarkozy ordered riot police to get control of the facility.
Two people were hurt outside the Grandpuits refinery east of Paris, which has been embargoed for the past 10 days.
The unions are blockading 12 facilities in a bid to change the government’s mind.
Opponents of the bill will now have a chance to take their objections to the constitutional court, before the bill becomes law.
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