After three weeks of rows between the ruling party UMP-led right-wing senator and the Socialist Party-represented left-wing power, 177 voted for the bill against 153 protesting ballots.

The Senate vote has been delayed due to numerous amendments that reports called as opposition tactics to prolong tedious debate in the upper house.

The lawmaker has spent 140 hours on discussing the bill, a new record in the Senate since 1986.

President Nicolas Sarkozy ordered the Senate to take "unique vote" over a package of amendments instead of one vote on each, in order to shorten the path for the bill to become law.

The most important clause of the bill, which also attracts fiercest outcry, are to raise legal minimum retirement age from 60 - 62 in 2018 and full pension age regardless contribution period from 65 - 67.

Also on October 22, labor unions backed by opposition parties announced that they will continue fight with further protesting strikes and demonstrations on October 28 and November 6.