Tunisian President Beji Caid Essebsi, a major player in the North African country's transition to democracy, has died at age 92, the presidency said Thursday.

A leading figure in the country's fortunes since 2011, Essebsi was hospitalized late last month after suffering what authorities described as a severe health crisis. He was taken to a military hospital on Wednesday.

"On Thursday morning, the president of the republic died at the military hospital in Tunis," the presidency said in a statement.

According to the constitution, the Speaker of parliament will temporarily serve as president. Speaker Mohamed Ennaceur was sworn in as interim president on Thursday, hours after Essebsi's death in a smooth transition of power in the birthplace of the Arab Spring.

The prime minister declared seven days of national mourning. A state funeral for Essebsi will be held on Saturday.

The Independent Electoral Commission also announced that a presidential election will take place Sept 15.

Essebsi had been a prominent figure in Tunisia since the overthrow of veteran autocrat Zine El-Abidine Ben Ali in 2011, followed by uprisings against authoritarian leaders across the Middle East, including in nearby Libya and Egypt.

Essebsi casts his vote during the first round of the Tunisian presidential election, in Soukra in 2014, that he ended up winning. He was seen as a key figure in Tunisia's transition to democracy. (Mohamed Werteni/Associated Press)

After the overthrow of Ben Ali, Essebsi led the immediate transition as prime minister in 2011. He was elected president three years later and is considered the country's first democratically elected leader.

"We are sad today about the death of our president but proud that ... there will not be a vacuum in this young democracy ... The country has a new president in a short time today," local journalist Zied Krichen said.

Parliamentary elections are expected to be held on Oct. 6, with a presidential vote on Nov. 17. They will be the third set of polls in which Tunisians have been able to vote freely following the 2011 revolution.

Essebsi had recently announced he wouldn't run in the November election, saying a younger person should lead the country.

'Tangible results need time'

Tunisia has been hailed as the only democratic success of the Arab Spring uprisings against dictatorship, with a new constitution and free elections in 2011 and 2014.

"After the revolution, the president led the people to avoid confrontation and led the democratic transition, and was keen to build and complete the constitutional institutions," said the presidency.

"He was a close friend and valued partner of the U.S. He will be remembered for his efforts to strengthen Tunisian democracy and for promoting peace and stability throughout the region.

But political progress has not been matched by economic advances. Unemployment stands at about 15 per cent, up from 12 per cent in 2010, due to weak growth and low investment.

Threatened this year with a general strike, Essebsi acknowledged the problems he was unable to resolve.

"A democracy cannot be built in eight years," he said in January. "Tangible results need time."

Carol McQueen, Canada's ambassador to Tunisia, expressed condolences as did the U.S. State Department, whose spokesperson Morgan Ortagus said Essebsi would be "remembered for his efforts to strengthen Tunisian democracy and for promoting peace and stability throughout the region."

I offer our deepest condolences to all Tunisians on the passing of their President Beji Caid Essebsi. He was Tunisia's first freely elected president and passed away on his country's national day. May he rest in peace. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tunisia?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tunisia</a> <a href="https://t.co/AlStPkYM7y">pic.twitter.com/AlStPkYM7y</a> —@Carol_McQueen

Tunisia has been spared much of the violence seen elsewhere in the Middle East since 2011, although it has been the target of militant Islamists over the years.

Government troops have been battling militant groups in remote areas near the border with Algeria, while high unemployment has also stoked unrest in recent years.

Analyst Ibrahim Ouslati said the death of Essebsi, one of the world's oldest leaders, was not expected to disrupt politics.

"I don't think there will be any problem because the Tunisians have a constitution that clearly shows that the Speaker of the parliament occupies the position temporarily," he said.

"Politically, there will be no problem. The political elite has enough awareness to manage it wisely like any democratic country."