PARIS, Oct. 26 - France's Senate on Tuesday approved a pension reform bill to raise the retirement age from 60 to 62 that has triggered nationwide protests, bringing the legislation one step closer to law.
The upper house of parliament voted 177 in favour versus 151 against the last version of a text which is due to be put to the National Assembly or lower house on Wednesday for a final vote of approval as well.
The finance minister has declared that the slowing protest movement has reached a "turning point." Garbage collectors in southern France have gone back to work to tackle two weeks’ worth of piled-up trash, and some oil workers have deserted their picket lines.
