A recent opinion poll shows French President Nicolas Sarkozy's approval rating has dipped below 30 percent. On Friday, Sarkozy's controversial bill to make people work two more years for their pensions was passed by France's upper house, the Senate.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy has tied his political fortune to the contentious pension reform bill.

In a poll published by the Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday, Sarkozy's approval rating has fallen to 29 percent, down 3 percent from September.

It's the French leader's lowest rating since taking office in 2007. It's also one of the lowest approval ratings for any president in recent memory.

Last week, the French upper house of parliament passed the highly controversial pension bill, by 177 votes to 153.

The clause to raise the legal minimum retirement age to 62, and full pension age to 67, will take effect by year 2018.

Final adoption is due this Wednesday, when the bill will go before a panel representing both houses of parliament. Finishing touches will be made to the text, before a last vote.

The law has been one of the most fiercely contested reforms, among a swathe of austerity measures being adopted by European governments.

Sarkozy insists that life expectancy in France is on the rise, while the national debt is soaring. He says raising the retirement age is vital to ensure future generations receive any pension at all. But the opposition and trade unions insist it amounts to an attack on French workers' hard-earned rights.

Unions have signaled their determination to continue fighting the bill. Two more days of protests have been called, for Tuesday, and November 6th.

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