Independence Movement leader Michel Moawad said Sunday that the release of former Minister Michel Samaha is proof of Hezbollah’s strong grip over Lebanon, adding that the majority of the country’s political factions hope that the municipal elections take place within the legal deadline.

However, Moawad warned that Hezbollah might seek to delay the elections because the party fears the polls could spark tensions among its supporters in towns under its control.

Moawad made his remarks following a meeting with Amer al-Tayyeb al-Rifai, head of the Fayhaa-Tipoli municipality who was accompanied by the Business Incubation Association in Tripoli (BIAT) Deputy Director Nasri Moawad.

Discussions touched on bolstering cooperation between municipalities and the Rene Moawad Foundation as well as promoting sustainable solutions to the waste crisis and dealing with its health implications.

“People are now relying on civil society groups because the government has failed to assume its duties,” Moawad said.

Moawad, who attributed the Rene Moawad Foundation’s success to its continued collaboration with municipalities, urged the implementation of administrative decentralization to promote sustainable development and transparency.