France's Senate has delayed a planned vote on a bill that would introduce pension reforms and raise the retirement age, a ruling party spokeswoman said on Wednesday.

The legislation, which would raise the early retirement age from 60 to 62 by 2018 and lift the age of eligibility for a full pension from 65 to 67, has set off nationwide strikes and protests, disrupting transport, schools and services.

The vote, which had been expected to be held on Friday or Saturday, has been pushed back until October 20, according to a lawmaker speaking to the Agence France-Presse news agency. The spokeswoman for the ruling conservative UMP party said parliament's upper house needed more time to debate around 820 proposed amendments filed by the Socialist opposition.