PARIS (AFP) - France's embattled Socialist government survived a vote of no-confidence on Thursday over its decision to force a controversial labour reform Bill though parliament.

A no-confidence motion brought by the centre-right opposition won 246 votes in the National Assembly, falling short of the 288 required to bring down the government.

New protests were held across the country on Thursday against the draft law, with violent clashes reported in Paris and acts of vandalism in the western city of Nantes.

The Bill still faces several major hurdles before it is adopted.

The government says the reform is aimed at loosening up France's notoriously rigid job market.

But many unions and students say it will do little to address France's jobless rate, which has been stuck at 10 per cent, and nearly 25 per cent for young people.