Second phase of Lebanon's municipal elections kicks off

May 9, 2010, 10:35 GMT

Beirut - The second phase of Lebanon's municipal elections got underway in the capital Beirut and eastern Lebanon in the second of three Sundays in May of voters being called to the polls.

In the three election rounds, some 963 local councils and nearly 2,800 mayors are due to be elected.

Nearly 451,000 registered voters were eligible to vote as polling began at 7 am (0400 GMT). In Beirut, voters were choosing from a list of 94 candidates for the 24-member municipal council.

In addition, 102 mayors will be elected from the 231 candidates running in the capital's three sectors. Six mayors in a few areas have already won unopposed.

Meanwhile, 49 electoral seats out of 155 have been won without contest in the Bekaa region in eastern Lebanon.

Political observer say the 'Beirut Unity' list launched by Prime Minister Saad Hariri is expected to sweep the elections, with the real interest being on the size of the voter turnout and not on the results.

Hariri has urged the residents of Beirut to turn out in force on Sunday in order to avoid the 'big trap that has been set up to sabotage equal Christian-Muslim power-sharing in Beirut.'

The main battle in Beirut is expected to take place over 28 seats for mayors mainly in the Christian areas where the western-backed majority is expected to compete with Christian opposition lists who are close to the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah.

Earlier in the week, Christian opposition leader Michel Aoun announced that his 'The Free Patriotic Movement' will withdraw from the municipal elections.

He said that his party would only take part in the mayor elections alongside its ally Hezbollah, which also withdrew from the municipal elections.