France’s Senate has approved a contested pension reform raising the retirement age to 62 despite months of nationwide protests and strikes.

After 140 hours of debate, the Senate approved the reform Friday with a vote of 177-153.

The conservative government, eager to get the measure passed and to quell increasingly radicalized protests, cut short the debate and voting process using a special procedure.

The measure is expected to win final formal approval by both houses of parliament next week.

The government says the reform is needed to save the indebted pension system from collapse. Unions say retirement at 60 is a hard-earned right and say the reform is unfair to workers.