Saied Hospitalized as Kamel Ghribi Sends a Trojan Horse to Tunis

Kais Saied's health is reportedly deteriorating, threatening not only his personal future but also Tunisia's institutional stability. According to information obtained by Il Foglio, the president-turned-dictator has been admitted to the Tunis Military Hospital following a heart attack that required emergency surgery. The incident has been kept under the strictest secrecy to avoid fueling speculation about Saied's health—speculation that has already circulated widely in recent years.

The worsening of the president's condition has only intensified rumors about who might succeed him. By arresting hundreds of political opponents, journalists, activists, and trade unionists, Saied has effectively eliminated any credible domestic challenger, leaving a political vacuum in Tunisian civil society. Meanwhile, as Il Foglio revealed in early May, opposition figures in exile across Europe have been working to identify alternative candidates.

Against this backdrop, another development has added to the atmosphere of tension surrounding the presidential palace in Carthage. It concerns the Italian news agency Italpress, headed by Gaspare Borsellino. At the very time Il Foglio was publishing its investigation into Tunisia's political and economic stability and the search for a potential successor to Saied, the Palermo-based agency—an ambitious and fast-growing outlet—signed a cooperation agreement with Ecam, the think tank founded and chaired by Kamel Ghribi.

In addition to founding Ecam, the Tunisian businessman serves as chairman of the consulting firm GKSD Holding and vice chairman of Gruppo San Donato. He has also emerged as one of the names most frequently mentioned in recent months as a possible successor to Saied. "Whenever I decide to run in any election, no one will prevent me from exercising my rights as a Tunisian citizen," Ghribi recently wrote on his Instagram page, effectively confirming his interest in seeking public office.

One noteworthy detail is that the businessman from Sfax rarely grants interviews. Instead, Ghribi prefers to control his public messaging according to his own rules. His only active communication channels are his Instagram page—where his sizeable media team regularly posts self-promotional videos and carefully crafted slogans—and dispatches published by Italpress.

What has nevertheless attracted attention is that, only a few days after signing the agreement with Ghribi's organization, Borsellino made several trips to Tunis. One of these coincided with the 70th anniversary celebrations of Corriere di Tunisi, the country's leading Italian-language newspaper, where Italpress was the only Italian news agency invited.

During that visit, Borsellino reportedly entered advanced negotiations to conclude a cooperation agreement with TAP, Tunisia's state news agency. TAP's close relationship with the government is evident: its director is appointed by the president, and its editorial output is, unsurprisingly, subject to strict official oversight. According to Il Foglio, however, Borsellino's effort to finalize the agreement ultimately collapsed because of Italpress's perceived closeness to Kamel Ghribi, whom the Tunisian authorities regard as a direct political rival to Saied.

Contacted by Il Foglio, Borsellino denied this account, stating that he possesses "all the documents signed with TAP, in full compliance with the rules, with the assistance of the Italian Embassy." The embassy, however, told Il Foglio by email that "this embassy does not sponsor agreements between news agencies."

Several sources also confirmed that the agreement has not yet been finalized and that Italpress's entirely legitimate attempt to open a bureau in Tunis has so far been rejected by the Tunisian authorities.

Apparently, Saied considers it unacceptable to allow a permanent office in Tunis for a news agency that could provide visibility to his main political rival—one who is openly cultivating presidential ambitions. A risk the authorities appear unwilling to take, especially while questions surrounding Saied's health continue to loom.