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PARIS (Reuters) - French Prime Minister Manuel Valls invoked special constitutional powers on Wednesday to force a contested labor law through parliament in the face of opposition from left-wing lawmakers.

The widely expected move leaves lawmakers in the lower house of parliament opposed to the bill with little chance to derail it before its final adoption.

They have 24 hours to mount a censure motion against the government or otherwise it is considered as definitively adopted.

The bill aimed at making hiring and firing easier sparked three months of street protests and waves of strikes by hardline trade unions.