Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's reaction to the earthquake will determine whether he will win the presidential election to be held in June 2023, the newspaper La Reppublica reported.

"An extraordinary geophysical event from which equally important geopolitical consequences could flow. The outcome of May's elections could confirm Recep Tayyip Erdoğan at the top of the Turkish Republic or mark the end of his twenty-year rule. Everything depends largely on his reaction to the earthquake," the report said.

The earthquake of magnitude 7.7 occurred in the south-eastern part of Turkey, which, according to the latest figures, killed 3,419 people. To date, the number of victims has reached 20,534 people, 5,775 buildings damaged.