Municipal elections: March 14 declares victory in Sidon

The local media started reporting some unofficial results based on exit polls and partial vote count.

The March 14 Mustaqbal-backed mayoral candidates have reportedly won all the seats in the city of Sidon, NBN TV reported .

Lebanon’s former PM and Sidon MP Foad Siniora declared that “Sidon has won” He added :” The results proved that Sidon wants a capable Municipality that will be able to face the challenges ”

Sidon was one of the most hotly contested electoral district . The March 14 backed candidates competed with the Hezbollah backed candidates.

Meanwhile Lebanese Forces has declared that March 14 Alliance, has won all four mayoral seats in Marjeyoun: Sami Abla, Kamel Razzouk, Harb Abu Mrad and Karim Rashed.

Hariri : Sidon not for sale

MP Bahia Hariri rejected on Sunday Popular Nasserite Movement leader Osama Saad’s reported allegations that vote buying occurred in Sidon’s municipal elections National News Agency (NNA) reported.

The Hezbollah backed Saad supports the Popular Will list, which competed against the Consensus for Development list that Hariri and the Future Movement supported.

Saad has been brandishing vote-buying accusations since 1992, Hariri said, calling Saad’s allegations an insult to the people of Sidon ( Saida) . “People are not sold and Sidon is not for sale,” she added.

Update:

Unofficial results revealed the following trends:

In areas which are predominately Shiites , Hezbollah and Amal backed candidates appear to be

winning.

In the areas that are predominately Sunnis , The March 14 backed candidates appear to be

winning.

In the predominately Christian areas the March 14 / Lebanese Forces backed candidates seem to be winning against the Free Patriotic Movement FPM backed candidates.

In the mixed Christian / Shiite areas the Free Patriotic Movement FPM backed candidates seem to be winning against the March 14 / Lebanese Forces backed candidates

Photo: Lebanese citizens, line up to cast their vote at a polling station during the municipal elections in the southern port city of Sidon, Lebanon, on Sunday, May 23, 2010.