Interior Minister Nouhad al-Mashnouq announced Sunday that “the Lebanese proved that they deserve freedom and democracy," after polls closed in the first round of Lebanon's municipal and mayoral elections that were held Sunday in Beirut and the eastern Bekaa Valley -- the first vote of any kind in Lebanon since the last municipal polls in 2010.

The first round of Lebanon's municipal and mayoral elections was held Sunday in the capital Beirut, the eastern Bekaa Valley and Baalbek-al-Hermel, in the first vote of any kind in Lebanon since the last municipal polls in 2010.

According to early results, the Mustaqbal-backed "Beirutis List" appeared poised to win the municipal elections in the capital.

Progressive Socialist Party chief MP Walid Jumblat took to Twitter on Sunday to post a sarcastic comment after al-Mustaqbal movement leader ex-PM Saad Hariri mistakenly cast a municipal polls ballot in a ballot box for the mayoral elections.

Three candidate lists in the eastern town of Zahle were competing on Sunday to win the municipal elections race which started early morning, in a heated battle that has witnessed fistfights and vote buying allegations.

U.N. Special Coordinator for Lebanon Sigrid Kaag toured the polling stations in the Bir Hassan area and hailed the municipal election process which comes amid a presidential vacuum and inability of politicians to elect a Lebanese president.

“The municipal elections is a very important step and a democracy is only viable when people cast the ballots and vote,” said Kaag.

Prime Minister Tammam Salam stressed on Sunday that Lebanon is facing a national moment embodied in the democratic municipal election process that will allow the people of Beirut to say their word and vote in favor of their city and country.

Salam's comments came after he cast his ballot at a polling station in Aicha Bakkar, he said: “I am biased to Beirut, to the people of Beirut and to my nation.”

Al-Mustaqbal movement chief MP Saad Hariri said on Sunday that the absence of Hizbullah candidates from the Beirutis List which he backs for the municipal elections is “an asset for the capital Beirut.”

After casting his ballot at a polling station in Verdun, Hariri answered a question on how he would explain the absence of Hizbullah candidates from the list that he backs, he said: “it is an asset for Beirut.”

In the districts of Baalbek and Hermel, two listings competed for the municipal elections, one of them formed by Hizbullah and the Amal movement dubbed as Loyalty and Development list.

The second was named Baalbek Madinati and is headed by Ghaleb Yaghi and backed by families and al-Mustaqbal movement.

A Lebanese national was referred to the judiciary for his involvement in the 2011 kidnapping of seven Estonians, reported the National News Agency on Saturday.

Ahmed Abdul Rahman Yassine is also suspected of being linked to a Zahle church bombing in 2011.

Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea underlined on Saturday the importance of the upcoming municipal polls in wake of the regional unrest.

He said in a statement on the eve of the elections: “I call for a heavy turnout in Beirut, the Bekaa, and later other districts as the polls are a major victory for Lebanon.”