Germany denies Muslim doctor citizenship after he refuses to shake woman's hand

A Muslim doctor has been denied German citizenship after refusing to shake a woman’s hand when she gave him his certificate.

The 39-year-old Lebanese national was on the brink of becoming a German after living in the country for 13 years, completing his medical studies and passing a citizenship test with the highest possible mark.

But he failed at the final hurdle after refusing to shake the hand of the female official at the ceremony in 2015, leading state authorities to deny him citizenship.

Five years later, a court has backed their decision – saying the man’s ‘fundamentalist’ views were at odds with his integration into German society.