Alan Shearer has backed Manchester City to go on and win the Premier League after their statement 2-1 win over title rivals Arsenal.

Arsenal produced a spirited performance after a wretched run of just one win in their previous five contests in all competitions, but Erling Haaland’s second-half strike ultimately proved decisive at the Etihad.

Kai Havertz’s equaliser – gifted to Arsenal by Gianluigi Donnarumma – had given the visitors hope of a famous victory away from home, with the German’s effort cancelling out Rayan Cherki’s exquisite opener.

Mikel Arteta’s side were punished for their wastefulness in front of goal in the second half, though, ensuring hosts City – who have a game in hand over Arsenal – closed the gap at the summit to just three points of the leaders.

The result means Pep Guardiola’s men will claim top spot if they get the better of struggling Burnley at Turf Moor on Wednesday night.

‘I believe today, I believe on Wednesday, I believed a week ago because I see them every day and I know the level that we have,’ Arteta told reporters shortly after Arsenal’s setback.

‘But today, if they need to be more convinced, I think they are now more convinced. We are talking about it in the dressing room.

‘It’s a new league now. We have three points of advantage, they have the game in hand.

‘Everything is still to play for. We know how much we want it and we are not going to stop!’

Arsenal will be desperate to get their title charge back on track when they return to action at home to an out-of-form Newcastle in just under a week’s time.

Dissecting Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash on NBC Sports, ex-England and Newcastle striker Shearer said he saw a difference in Arsenal’s overall performance compared to their recent below-par displays.

But according to Shearer, the away team were made to pay for their wayward finishing as several chances came and went in the second period.

‘Where’s that [spirit] been for the last five or six weeks? That’s the big question,’ Shearer, the Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer, explained.

‘Yes, they were much better in terms of energy, playing more on the front foot, creating chances, and they were much better than they have been, but they just fell short.

‘They had their chances and they didn’t take them. There was a great chance in the last minute for Kai Havertz, with a wonderful ball in, and he has to score that goal.

‘That’s been the difference today unfortunately for Arsenal.’

Asked if he believes City will go on and win the title, Shearer replied: ‘Yeah, I always felt that if City won this game, with the form they’re in, with the experience that they have and the momentum they’ve got, I do believe they’ll now go on and win it.

‘It just feels like that. Looking at Erling Haaland, looking at their fans in the stadium and listening to it, you get that feeling that that’s exactly how they’re feeling as well.’

Shearer felt Arsenal missed a big opportunity to wrestle the momentum back in their favour when they stumbled at home to Bournemouth in their previous encounter.

He continued: ‘I thought their opportunity was last week against Bournemouth, particularly after winning in Sporting, I thought the momentum from that would have carried them on.

‘But it was such a weak, limp performance against Bournemouth and it’s very, very difficult, at whatever level of football you’re playing, to flick a switch and go again.

‘You can’t just do that, you need momentum. And there’s one team with momentum at the minute and that’s Manchester City.’

Wayne Rooney took an altogether different view to Shearer after the final whistle, though, insisting Arsenal remained in pole position despite their crushing loss in Manchester.

‘This title race is not over yet, I still feel like there are some more twists and turns to come,’ the former Manchester United and England forward said.

‘It is is obviously going to be tight but City have got one more game to try to win, so I still have Arsenal down as slight favourites.

‘I’ve been in this situation myself, where you need to win all your games for the title. You look at your games and you think well we should win this one, or that one, but it never pans out that way.

‘From now until the end of the season it is just going to be down to which team keeps their composure the best – that’s who will win it.’

While he stopped short of agreeing with Rooney, Guardiola was keen to sound a note of caution and remind his ow players that winning the league from this position will be far from a forgone conclusion.

He said: ‘I don’t know, I didn’t think Arsenal were in bad momentum. In the Carabao Cup we were better.

‘Today we were really good. They came here after the defeat with hunger and we won. They are are so competitive, we know that. But at the same time, we are too.

‘The table speaks for itself. They have been the best. Congratulations to the guys, but don’t lose the focus.

‘Wednesday is our game in hand and we can be there if we win. That’s what we have to do. Doing it will be so difficult because Everton or Brentford, or Aston Villa, Crystal Palace.

‘The games that we have. Bournemouth away. Last week they won in Emirates and Newcastle. It will be more difficult.’

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The new murder mystery series is perfect for a weekend binge-watch

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If you’re a murder mystery enthusiast seeking a series to watchthis weekend, Disney+’s latest offering might be precisely what you’re after.

The show unfolds in sun-soaked Lisbon, Portugal, tracking a diverse group of holidaymakers whose break takes an extremely sinister twist – starting with a killing on day one.

If It’s Tuesday, It’s Murder chronicles a varied collection of Spanish tourists embarking on a week-long break in Lisbon. Following the murder of one member the day after they arrive, the four surviving travellers attempt to identify the culprit – and determine whether the killer walks among them.

The synopsis adds: “This team of devoted true-crime and mystery-novel fans will have to face the police, a roster of suspects, the threat of being expelled from the trip, and their own hidden truths as the days slip away before they have to leave Lisbon.”

READ MORE: Crime psychologist shares what to do if you hold this one common beliefREAD MORE: ‘Unpredictable’ crime show with 94% rating is streaming on Netflix

With a solid IMDb score of 6.4 out of ten, the show, which was originally produced in Spanish, can be watched with English dubbing or subtitles. Spanish and Portuguese performers front the cast, featuring Álex García, Inma Cuesta, Ana Wagener, Pedro Casablanc and Biel Montoro, reports the Manchester Evening News.

The seven-episode series has garnered considerable praise, with The Guardian acknowledging that despite its ‘ludicrous’ premise, it delivers a ‘breezy crime-fighting adventure.’ Hello Magazine has dubbed it a ‘cosy crime’ drama, while the Daily Mail described the series as “fun to watch”. Fans of programmes like Only Murders In The Building will find If It’s Tuesday, It’s Murder particularly appealing.

For those whose appetite for mystery remains unsated, Netflix is currently treating Agatha Christie enthusiasts to its Marple series, which has recently soared to the summit of the streaming service’s charts, according to the Daily Mail.

First aired between 2004 and 2014, the show sees the legendary sleuth Miss Marple come out of retirement. Geraldine McEwan played the titular character for the first three series, with Julia McKenzie taking over for the remaining three.

Viewers will also spot recognisable faces throughout the programme, including Joanna Lumley, Benedict Cumberbatch and Timothy Dalton. Additional appearances feature Keeley Hawes, Brian Cox, Richard Armitage and Amanda Holden, among others.

The show takes some artistic licence with Christie’s original works, occasionally placing Miss Marple into narratives where she didn’t initially feature.

One viewer commented on IMDb: “I love the original book, and I love this adaptation. All-star cast (best hits of the actors of Britain).

“Naturally it’s very different to the original, but I enjoyed how it had been adapted, beautiful location as well!” Another viewer remarked: “I am an Agatha Christie scholar who has researched her work for years. Does that make me a better viewer? Not necessarily, but a more attentive one.

“I can honestly say this is one of the best TV adaptations and definitely worth 10 stars. It’s got everything and more. Please give it a chance and stop comparing it against other productions.”

If It’s Tuesday, It’s Murder is available to stream now on Disney+ and Marple is available to stream on Netflix.

The supermarket is recalling its 500g pack of Authentic Greek Yoghurt with Vanilla as it’s “a possible health risk for anyone with an allergy or intolerance to gluten or have coeliac disease”, according to the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The affected product has a use-by date of May 12, 2026 and barcode number 29308750.

M&S has issued the recall with a “do not consume” warning for anyone with a gluten allergy or intolerance.

Saturday 18 April: @marksandspencer is recalling Authentic Greek Yoghurt with Vanilla because of undeclared gluten #FoodAllergy https://t.co/54upEpx7zJ pic.twitter.com/fM8VFRmhDM

— Food Standards Agency (@foodgov) April 18, 2026

It added: “Customer safety is of paramount importance to Marks & Spencer, and we take food safety extremely seriously.”

M&S reassured customers that “only the displayed date codes are impacted” and “no other M&S products are affected.”

The supermarket issued an apology “for any inconvenience caused”.

Food recalls explained

The FSA said: “If you have bought the above product and have an allergy or an intolerance to gluten or have coeliac disease, do not eat it.

“Instead return it to the store from where it was bought for a full refund.

“For more information contact Marks & Spencer on 0333301-48555.”

What is a food recall?

The FSA explains what a food recall is: “If there is a problem with a food product that means it should not be sold, then it might be ‘withdrawn’ (taken off the shelves) or ‘recalled’ (when customers are asked to return the product).

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“The FSA issues Product Recall Information Notices to let consumers and local authorities know about problems associated with food.

“In some cases, a ‘Food Alert for Action’ is issued.

“This provides local authorities with details of specific action to be taken on behalf of consumers.”

Have you shopped at M&S recently? Let us know your favourite items in the comments below.

Customers shared their frustration and after Tesco previously made the decision to axe its F&F changing rooms.

It was one of many supermarkets that removed their changing rooms during the pandemic, with many not re-opening them due to costs and shoplifting issues.

Tesco brings back F&F changing rooms after 6 years

One customer posted on Facebook on the Bargain Lovers group to share a picture of the F&F changing rooms.

They wrote: “Changing rooms are coming back to F&F in Tesco!”

Many fellow shoppers took to the comments with excitement to see the feature back after several years.

One said: “I hope this is true.”

“Another wrote: “About time too, I think!”

A third added: “Amazing news, please fit every Tesco store with changing rooms.”

Tesco told Newsquest that it has reopened its F&F fitting rooms as part of a trial across a small number of stores.

Tesco said it will listen to customer feedback from the trial to see how it can improve future in-store services.

If you are not able to try on in-store, Tesco customers can return F&F clothing to any large store within 30 days with their proof of purchase.

Tesco confirms major change in UK supermarket ‘first’

The reintroduction of some F&F changing rooms across various Tesco stores is not the only big change recently.

The supermarket giant is also switching from barcodes to QR codes in what is a first among UK supermarkets.

The UK’s biggest grocer described the move as “one of the most revolutionary retailing improvements in decades”, which would give customers access to a host of information about products via their smartphones.

Tesco is switching from barcodes to QR codes (Image: PA Wire)

QR codes will be applied to the packaging of 13 lines of Tesco’s own-brand sausages, including Tesco Pork Sausages, Tesco Pork Chipolatas, Tesco British Pork Sausage Meat, as well as British Cumberland Sausages and British Lincolnshire Sausages.

The codes can be used to provide additional product information to customers, such as nutritional content, with shoppers being able to use them to access recipes and competitions.

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Tesco said adopting the new codes would give it better information about products in stores, helping it to order more accurately and improve efficiency, reducing unnecessary waste.

In the event of product recalls, QR codes will allow retailers to identify specific batches instead of removing all items, avoiding throwing products away unnecessarily and improving availability.

Retailers will also be able to block the sale of affected items at the till and contact customers who may have purchased them.

Would you like to see F&F changing rooms reintroduced at your local Tesco? Let us know in the comments.

The gated estate’s main residence, annexe, and outbuildings are reached via a remote-controlled entrance, with a driveway and parking for several vehicles.

Extensive grounds on the Bradshaw Road, Tottington, include sweeping lawns, woodland, a stable block, and multiple storage areas.

Living room with wood-burning stove and triple aspect views (Image: Miller Metcalfe)

A further seven acres are available by separate negotiation, providing potential for additional land use.

Inside the main residence, there are three reception rooms.

The principal lounge includes a wood-burning stove set within a surround and is described as being “flooded with natural light”.

Kitchen with central island, bar, and sliding doors opening to garden (Image: Miller Metcalfe)

Another sitting room is designed for informal gatherings, and a further reception space incorporates a bespoke bar area.

Described in the listing as forming the “heart of the home,” the kitchen is open-plan and fitted with a central island and bespoke dining solution.

A selection of ‘Gaggenau’ appliances include a coffee machine, three double ovens with microwave, and an induction hob.

Main bathroom with freestanding bath, walk-in shower and countryside views (Image: Miller Metcalfe)

Sleek Corian worktops and a double-inset sink with hot water tap feature throughout the kitchen.

The utility room contains additional storage and is plumbed for a washing machine.

A double-glazed front door opens into an entrance hallway, with a further door leading to the main hallway, where a tiled floor and staircase are noted.

Fifteen acres of grazing land with mature woodland, pond and stable block (Image: Miller Metcalfe)

The listing highlights a guest WC with freestanding wash hand basin and sensor light mirror.

All principal rooms are described as taking advantage of “panoramic views” over the grounds.

On the first floor, there are four double bedrooms.

Both the main bedroom and a second double bedroom have dressing rooms and contemporary en-suite shower rooms.

Fifteen acres of grazing land with mature woodland, pond and stable block (Image: Miller Metcalfe)

The main bedroom includes a feature window overlooking the grounds.

The further two bedrooms are described as having “a lovely open aspect”.

A newly fitted family bathroom is also located upstairs, with a freestanding bath, double shower cubicle, and underfloor heating.

A detached annexe offers open-plan living, incorporating a modern kitchen, lounge/bedroom area, walk-in dressing room, and contemporary shower room.

Large windows provide views across the grounds, with a raised decked patio for outdoor use.

The estate’s outbuildings include a double detached garage, separate timber double garage, and a purpose-built stable block with four stables and a tack room.

Water and power are supplied to the stable area.

The grounds are described as private, with woodland, gardens, and grazing land, and are said to attract local wildlife including deer and owls.

Interested parties are urged to call Miller Metcalfe (Bury) on 01619 375383.

FPC Electric Land was granted permission to build a battery storage system on land near Slack Lane in 2024, but council officers put several constraints on the project.

One of these constraints prevents work during active amphibian season – March until October.

This is the condition that FPC Electric Land want to have changed, as they believe it is too restrictive.

The site on Slack Lane (Image: Google)

But Westhoughton Town Council were firmly against this proposal when they discussed it on Monday (April 13).

Westhoughton councillor and Bolton Mayor David Chadwick said: “I think that we should all object to any changes in the planning application regarding amphibians.

“Our answer should be a very firm and stern ‘no’.”

All Westhoughton councillors at the meeting assented to Cllr Chadwick’s motion.

Cllr John McHugh said: “I completely agree with Cllr Chadwick.

“This provision is there to stop developers destroying our green spaces.”

Cllr McHugh also pointed out that the Planning Inspectorate put the provision on the original plan, and therefore it would not be right to change it.

Councillor Derek Gradwell, who chaired the meeting, said Cllr McHugh’s last point was probably the most relevant one out of all the comments made.

The site plan (Image: Electric Land)

FPC Electric Land are seeking to have the amphibian provision altered due to what they believe is overly-restrictive wording.

The restriction currently states: “Works shall be timed to prevent impacts to amphibians by avoiding active amphibian season between March-October.”

But FPC – through their agent Clive Fagg Planning – are arguing that these rules are only supposed to apply to ‘vegetation clearance works’, not to work in general.

The application states this was confirmed through a discussion with Envance, the environmental consultancy on whom Bolton Council bases their planning policy.

This application will go before Bolton Council’s planning department before any decision is made on whether to alter the amphibian provision or not.

Westhoughton Town Council unanimously voted against changing the provision, but they are merely an advisory body and cannot refuse or accept planning applications.

This is the only restriction on that FPC are requesting be changed.

Westhoughton residents fighting the original plans in 2023 (Image: Martini)

All other restrictions, including other restrictions relating specifically relating to amphibians, will remain the same.

The original plans were subject to around 200 objections from local residents.

The plans were initially rejected but were then accepted on appeal.

The Bolton News has contacted Envance for comment.

Emergency services were called to a collision between a pedestrian and a car on Acklam Road in Middlesbrough, close to the Coronation Inn, at around 11.50am on Saturday (April 18)

Acklam Road in Middlesbrough was closed following a serious crash (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

The injured man was taken to James Cook University Hospital, where he remains in a serious condition.

Cleveland Police said a 36-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He has since been released on bail while enquiries continue.

The road was closed for several hours as officers carried out investigations, reopening later in the evening.

A man remains in hospital with serious injuries as another has been arrested after a serious crash on Acklam Road in Middlesbrough yesterday (April 18). (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

A man remains in hospital with serious injuries as another has been arrested after a serious crash on Acklam Road in Middlesbrough yesterday (April 18). (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Acklam Road in Middlesbrough was closed following a serious crash (Image: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

A North East Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We received a call at 11.41am on Saturday 18 April to reports of a road traffic incident on the junction of Acklam Road in Middlesbrough.

“We dispatched an ambulance crew and the medicar to the scene, and transported one patient to James Cook hospital for further treatment.”

Anyone with information is urged to contact us on 101, quoting reference number 072542.

The North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) has unveiled a series of new electric vehicles, including response cars, ambulances, and patient transport vehicles, as part of its broader commitment to fleet modernisation and reducing emissions.

The electric vehicles include the Skoda Enyaq Rapid Response Vehicle, Renault E‑Master ambulance, and the Ford E‑Transit ambulance.

(Image: NEAS)

Kevin Scollay, chief executive of NEAS, said: “Moving towards a more sustainable ambulance service is a vital part of our responsibility to the patients and communities we serve.

“It’s an exciting moment for the service and a real opportunity to build momentum as we move into the next phase of our electric vehicle journey.”

The showcase supports the NHS’s net zero target and highlights how ambulances can reduce carbon emissions while maintaining high standards of patient care.

Mr Scollay said: “These electric vehicles have the potential to significantly improve both staff and patient experience.

“Features such as selfloading stretchers can help reduce musculoskeletal injuries and sickness absence, while quicker loading and improved reliability support better response times.”

A  event, held at the NEAS Driver Training Centre in Team Valley, Gateshead, was attended by NHS England, other UK ambulance trusts, vehicle manufacturers, and blue light partners.

Paul Leach, head of ambulance fleet at NHS England, welcomed the progress.

Mr Leach said: “It’s a pleasure to see first‑hand the progress NEAS is making with electric ambulances and how local innovation is helping to shape national strategy.

Read more:

“These vehicles bring clear benefits for patients through improved air quality and for staff through quieter, smoother vehicles that are well‑suited to the demands of the role.”

Dave Parkin, NEAS’s fleet operations manager, highlighted both the environmental and operational benefits of the transition.

Mr Parkin said: “Alongside environmental benefits, we are seeing clear operational advantages, including lower whole life running costs, reduced vehicle downtime and quicker servicing, which improves reliability and supports more efficient use of our fleet.”

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian strikes killed at least two people in Ukraine, officials said Sunday, as the Ukrainian military struck a drone factory in southwestern Russia.

A “massive” nighttime drone strike on Chernihiv in northern Ukraine killed a 16-year-old boy and wounded four others, according to the head of the city’s military administration.

Rescuers found the teenager’s body as they cleared away rubble, Dmytro Bryzhynskyi reported on Telegram on Sunday morning. He said the drone strike also wounded three women and one man. Several houses were set on fire, he added.

Russian drones also attacked the southern city of Kherson on Sunday, local officials reported.

A man died of his wounds after a drone hit a van driving through the city center, according to Oleksandr Prokudin, the head of the regional administration. A second man was hospitalized with blast injuries, regional authorities said.

Russia launched 236 drones into Ukrainian territory overnight into Sunday, Ukraine’s air force reported. Of those, 203 drones were shot down while 32 hit targets in 18 separate locations, it said.

Kyiv says it struck a Russian drone factory

Meanwhile, Ukraine hit a drone factory in the city of Taganrog, Ukraine’s General Staff reported. The site lies some 55 kilometers (35 miles) east of Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine in southwestern Russia.

According to the military, Ukrainian drones sparked a fire at the Atlant Aero factory, which designs and produces strike and reconnaissance drones, as well as components for more powerful UAVs that can carry guided bombs weighing up to 250 kilograms (550 pounds).

Ukraine’s navy said it carried out the attack on the drone factory in southern Russia, using domestically manufactured Neptune cruise missiles.

“This defense enterprise is an important part of the Russian military-industrial complex, where drones were developed and manufactured,” the navy said in an online post.

It also posted images showing a huge cloud of smoke over the city, which it said was the impact of the strikes.

Three people were injured in a nighttime air attack on commercial infrastructure in Taganrog, according to the Russian regional governor, Yuri Slyusar. He did not specify what facility was hit, but said warehouses were set on fire following the strike.

Taganrog Mayor Svetlana Kambulova said the strike damaged “commercial enterprises” in the city, as well as a vocational school and multiple cars.

Russia’s Defense Ministry said its forces shot down 274 Ukrainian drones during the night, as well as guided aerial bombs and a Neptune cruise missile. The ministry did not say how many struck targets.

Ukraine’s Interior Ministry on Sunday launched an official inquiry into a mass shooting in Kyiv the previous day that killed six people and wounded at least 14 others.

A gunman wielding an automatic weapon killed six people and barricaded himself inside a supermarket with hostages in the Ukrainian capital before he was shot and killed by police, authorities said.

Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko described the attacker’s mental state as “clearly unstable.”

The 58-year-old gunman has not been named, but Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Saturday said he was born in Russia. Authorities worked to piece together a motive for the violence.

Several police officers were suspended for allegedly failing to respond appropriately in the initial stages of the shooting. Klymenko, the interior minister, described their behavior as “shameful and unworthy” of their role as police officers.

He said there was no plan to toughen gun ownership laws, arguing that guns in the hands of law-abiding citizens had helped the country’s defense against Russia.

The mass shooting — unheard of in wartime Kyiv following Russia’s all-out invasion of Ukraine in 2022 — took place in a busy central district of the city, outside an apartment block and a nearby shopping center, leaving bodies on a crowded street as bystanders fled for safety.

An Associated Press reporter at the scene saw victims’ bodies covered with emergency blankets before they were taken away.

Zelenskyy hits out at U.S. sanctions waiver for Russian oil

Elsewhere, Zelenskyy responded with dismay to the Trump administration’s decision on Friday to extend its pause on sanctions on Russian oil shipments.

“Every dollar paid for Russian oil is money for the war,” Zelenskyy wrote in a post on X, arguing that any additional revenue the Kremlin gets from oil sales “is directly converted into new strikes against Ukraine.”

“That is why it is important that Russian tankers are stopped, not allowed to deliver oil to ports. The aggressor’s oil exports must decrease, and Ukraine’s long-range sanctions continue to work toward that goal,” he added.

The so-called general license, intended to ease supply constraints resulting from the Iran war, means U.S. sanctions will not apply for 30 days on deliveries of Russian oil that has been loaded on tankers as of Friday. It extended a similar 30-day license issued in March for Russian oil that had been loaded by March 11.

___

Follow AP’s coverage of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — A center-left coalition led by ex-President Rumen Radev will win Bulgaria ‘s parliamentary election, an exit poll suggested Sunday, though the list might not garner enough votes to rule alone, which could prolong a years-long political deadlock in the European Union country.

The election on Sunday was the country’s eighth in five years, illustrating a crippling political impasse that has gripped this Balkan nation.

The poll conducted by Trend research group showed Radev’s Progressive Bulgaria earning 39.2% support, edging out the center-right GERB party of its veteran leader, Boyko Borissov, which is expected to capture 15.1% of the vote. Despite the huge gap between the two groups, the predicted percentage may not be enough for Radev to form a one-party government, and he will face the uphill task of looking for partners to govern.

The exit poll also predicted that voter turnout stood at 43.4%, and that six parties could pass the 4% threshold to enter a fragmented parliament.

Radev said after the initial projections were announced that “we will do our best to prevent having to go to the polls” again.

“It (new election) will be a disaster for Bulgaria,” he said. “It would mean going from crisis to crisis when what we have to do is work very hard to emerge from these crises.”

The snap vote followed the resignation of a conservative-led government amid nationwide protests last December that drew hundreds of thousands, mainly young people, to the streets. The protesters called for an independent judiciary to tackle widespread corruption.

If confirmed in an official tally, the victory of Radev’s coalition could potentially bring to power a left-leaning leader who is seen by critics as pro-Russian. Last weekend, Hungarian voters rejected the authoritarian policies and global far-right movement of Viktor Orbán, who cultivated close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Radev resigned from the mostly ceremonial presidency in January, a few months before the end of his second term, to launch a bid to lead the government as prime minister.

The 62-year-old former fighter pilot and air force commander has promised to give the nation a fresh start. His supporters are split on those hoping he will put an end to the country’s oligarchic corruption and those lining up behind his Eurosceptic and Russia-friendly views.

Radev’s popularity surged as he has cast himself as an opponent of the country’s entrenched mafia and its ties to high-ranking politicians. At campaign rallies he vowed to “remove the corrupt, oligarchic model of governance from political power.”

Since 2021, the nation of 6.5 million has struggled with fragmented parliaments that produced weak governments, none of which managed to survive more than a year before being brought down by street protests or backroom deals in parliament.

After voting on Sunday, Radev said that Bulgaria now has a historic chance to change the alleged oligarchic model of governance. He urged people to go to the polls because mass “voting is the only way to drown vote-buying in a sea of free votes.”

Though Radev has officially denounced Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, he has repeatedly opposed military aid to Kyiv and has favored reopening talks with Russia as a way out of the conflict.

Radev’s relatively vague campaign has left him open for cooperation with almost any party in the future Parliament, according to Mario Bikarski, senior Eastern and Central Europe analyst at the risk intelligence company Verisk Maplecroft.

Radev, however, seems reluctant to enter a formal coalition with the hard right and openly pro-Russian Revival party, Bikarski said.

Bulgaria is a European Union and NATO member country, joined the eurozone on Jan. 1, shortly after entering the border-free Schengen travel area.