French Senate passes pensions bill

The French Senate has passed a massively unpopular bill lifting the age of retirement to 62 from 60 despite bitter opposition.

Politicians voted 177 to 153 in favor of the legislation after using a special measure to speed up the process after weeks of unrest.

The country's powerful unions have vowed to step up protests in response to the vote.

Demonstrators brought parts of France to a virtual halt in a series of demonstrations against pension reform but in the end, the protests seemed to fall on deaf ears.

Labour Minister Eric Woerth said: "The French retirement system must evolve, and if it doesn't evolve, this retirement system cannot last.

"We won't be able to afford French people's pensions and the vote of the National Assembly, as the vote of the Senate, obtained after more than 150 hours of debate, a very detailed debate - we went to the bottom of all the topics - allows us to say, democracy has spoken."

Workers at the Grandpuits oil refinery, which has become a symbol in the protest, welcome a court ruling saying a government order to requisition workers is unlawful.