Dutch ban political number plates

Dutch registration plates combine three numbers with three consonants

The number is up for a controversial Dutch party's three-letter acronym - on car licence plates at least.

PVV, which can denote the Freedom Party (Partij voor de Vrijheid) led by Geert Wilders, has been banned by the Dutch ministry of transport.

It is among several combinations banned from registration plates because of political and other associations.

Besides PVV the blacklist includes KKK (Ku Klux Klan), PKK (Kurdistan Workers' Party) and GVD (an explicit profanity).

The ministry's list bars three-letter combinations that are deemed to be offensive, provocative, or linked too closely to an organisation or institution.

Political acronyms banned

Mr Wilders has come under fire for equating Islam with violence and calling for the Koran to be banned in the Netherlands.

He has defended his right to criticise the actions of a minority he says poses a threat to society.

Mr Wilders has come under fire for equating Islam with violence

Dutch registration plates combine three numbers with three consonants; vowels are not used, to avoid the spelling of inappropriate words.

"It's not the case that the PVV are the only initials of a political party being banned," a ministry spokeswoman told the BBC.

"Monikers of other parties, such as VVD and SGB, are also not allowed.

"CDA [the acronym for the centre-right Christian Democratic Party] could not be used on a registration plate because it includes a vowel."

Other political acronyms banned include those of the 1930s fascist party NSB and the party of assassinated right-wing politician Pim Fortuyn, LPF.

The PVV is set to question the ban in parliament, a spokesman was quoted as saying by Radio Netherlands.