French Prime Minister Manuel Valls has survived a no-confidence vote prompted by a divisive labour reform, as tens of thousands of protesters took to the streets in the country's major cities to protest against the law.
Facing almost daily protests and legislative gridlock, the government decided use a special measure to push the bill through without a vote in the lower house of parliament.
The conservatives tried to object by setting up a no-confidence vote on Thursday, but with 246 votes they failed to gather the minimum of 288 needed to bring down the government.
The contested labour reform - including longer workdays, easier layoffs and weaker unions - will now be debated in the Senate.
In his speech to politicians, Valls said he was proud of the law because it would help social progress and it was an "indispensable reform" in a globalised world.
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A rain-drenched march through Paris was largely peaceful on Thursday, but police fired tear gas at some rowdy demonstrators.
Similar scenes played out in Marseille on the Mediterranean, and Nantes on the Atlantic Coast.
New street protests and strikes called by workers unions to reject the reform are already scheduled next week.
The labour reform is the boldest any French government, left or right, has tried in years and has unleashed daily, often-violent protests from wine country to the troubled suburbs.
The French bill is relatively modest, especially after the government softened it to meet union demands.
It will not abolish the 35-hour workweek, but will allow companies to negotiate deals for up to 48 hours a week or 12-hour shifts.
It will change rules for layoffs in companies, to create more flexibility during downturns - under conditions depending on the size of the businesses.
It even adds some new protections - a "right to disconnect" from emails and smartphones negotiated with employers - and a new 461-euro ($A710) allowance for young job-seekers.
