France's bid to raise its official retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018 cleared another hurdle when it was approved by the lower house of parliament Wednesday afternoon.

The pension reform bill gained the support of 329 legislators in the National Assembly, including the ruling UMP and New Center Party, with 233 from the opposition left wing voting against it.

While the lawmakers were debating the bill, thousands of French citizens summoned by trade unions rallied outside to protest against it.

Protestors holding banners with names of different labor unions were barred by policemen, a Xinhua reporter observed. The demonstration was noisy but there was no violence.

The bill, backed by President Nicolas Sarkozy, plans to gradually prolong the minimum retirement age of French people from 60 to 62 and the age at which they can get a full pension regardless of their contribution period from 65 to 67.

The bill now goes to the Senate for review on Oct. 5. Trade unions plan another national strike and street protest on Sept. 23.

More than two million people demonstrated against the bill across France when it was presented to the National Assembly on 7 September.

A majority of 57 percent of French people want the government to abandon the reform, according to a survey by pollster BVA published Wednesday in local paper Les Echos.

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