Tunisia's 92-year-old president, Beji Caid Essebsi, has died, the presidency said in a statement.
The veteran politician, the oldest head of state after Britain's Queen Elizabeth II, came to power in 2014, three years after the Arab Spring uprising toppled Zine El Abidine Ben Ali and sparked revolts in several Arab nations.
He had been hospitalised with a severe illness in late June and was returned to intensive care this morning.
According to the country's constitution, the speaker of parliament will temporarily serve as president.
Parliamentary elections are expected to be held on 6 October with a presidential vote following on 17 November.
They will be the third set of polls in which Tunisians have been able to vote freely following the 2011 revolution.
