Independence Movement leader Michel Moawad urged Sunday the electorate in Zgharta district to vote in large numbers to grant legitimacy to consensus candidates.

After casting his ballot, Moawad, who was accompanied by his wife Marielle, a candidate for Zgharta’s municipal council, said municipal elections represents an opportunity to advance development in Zgharta.

“This consensus represents an achievement on two levels:  on the political level because we managed to bring together all factions and civil society groups under these difficult circumstances; and on the development level because all parties rallied behind qualified candidates with a development agenda,” Moawad said.

Moawad, however, added that all contenders have a right to run in municipal elections.

When asked whether the Independence Movement and the Marada Movement entered into an alliance to confront the Free Patriotic Movement-Lebanese Forces front, Moawad said the agreement in Zgharta’s municipal elections included all parties.

Moawad said the Independence Movement succeeded in rallying all political factions behind consensus candidates in 25 municipalities out of 31 across Zgharta’s district.

Moawad added that 5 out of 21 candidates for Zgharta’s municipality are women including his wife Marielle.

Marielle, a long time activist and member of the Rene Moawad foundation, said she was confident that the Zgharta’s municipality will step up efforts to promote local development at a time when the centralized government plunges into paralysis.