Associated Press

PARIS —  French Prime Minister Manuel Valls on Thursday survived a no-confidence vote prompted by a divisive labor 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, but with 246 votes they failed to gather the minimum of 288 needed to bring down the government.

The contested labor reform — including longer workdays, easier layoffs and weaker unions — will now be debated in the Senate.

In his speech to lawmakers, Valls said he is proud of the law because it will help social progress and it is an "indispensable reform" in a globalized world.

A rain-drenched march through Paris was largely peaceful 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 labor 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.

It has torn apart the Socialists and further damaged their weak chances of keeping the presidency and legislative control in next year's elections.