Germany's large Turkish community, including 1.4 million people eligible to vote in Turkey, is a potential electoral goldmine for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in his bid to win a referendum on expanding his powers.

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Saturday he would speak with German Chancellor Angela Merkel by telephone amid a row over rallies cancelled in Germany ahead of a vote next month in Turkey.

"I have a telephone call with the German chancellor at 3:00 pm (1200 GMT)," Yildirim told a rally in the central Turkish province of Kirsehir where he was campaigning for a "Yes" vote in the April 16 referendum to boost President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's powers.

Tunisia and Germany announced a new agreement on tackling illegal migration, during a visit on Friday by Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday rejected Ankara's accusations that her government had a hand in scrapping Turkish rallies in two German towns backing President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's bid for greater powers.

Germany will speed up expulsions of rejected asylum seekers under measures agreed by Chancellor Angela Merkel's cabinet Wednesday, as controversy raged over sending people back to strife-torn Afghanistan.

Billed as Germany's "anti-Trump", center-left former foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier was elected Sunday as the new ceremonial head of state.

Europe's largest economy Germany reported a new record trade surplus in 2016, official data showed Thursday, exporting 253 billion euros more than it imported.

The Islamic State group on Tuesday claimed responsibility for a truck rampage through a Berlin Christmas market that killed 12 people, as German police hunted for the attacker.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel told her party Sunday she will seek re-election next year, a move likely to be welcomed in many capitals as a sign of stability following poll triumphs for Brexit and Donald Trump.

After months of feverish speculation, Merkel said at a meeting of her conservative Christian Democrats (CDU) that she would run for a fourth term, party sources told AFP.

Germany's ruling coalition has backed Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier as the country's next president, party sources said Monday, paving the way for a sharp critic of Donald Trump to become head of state.

Party leaders have been wrangling for months over whom to nominate as a potential successor to President Joachim Gauck, a 76-year-old former pastor from the ex-communist East Germany who is stepping down due to his advanced age.