Charleroi Socialists Demand Resignation of Councillor Convicted of Assaulting Police

Charleroi, (The Brussels Morning Newspaper) – October 12, 2026 – The Charleroi branch of Belgium’s Socialist Party has called for the immediate resignation of Joël Hasselin, an alderman in the municipality of Courcelles, following his conviction for resisting police and intentionally assaulting and injuring officers. The Charleroi Criminal Court handed down the sentence on Thursday, October 8, 2026. Hasselin and his two sons received community service sentences for offences connected to an altercation during the Souvret carnival in March 2024. The Socialist federation has also challenged the position of Courcelles Mayor Caroline Taquin, Hasselin’s partner, and questioned whether her political party applies its stated position on violence against police consistently.

Why Are Charleroi Socialists Demanding Joël Hasselin’s Resignation?

The Charleroi federation of the Socialist Party, known as the Parti Socialiste (PS), issued its demand on Sunday, October 11, following the court’s decision against Hasselin, who serves as an alderman in Courcelles, a municipality in Belgium’s Hainaut province.

The party argued that an elected municipal official convicted of assaulting police officers should not continue serving on the municipal executive. In its statement, the federation said an alderman found guilty of striking police officers could not remain in office for “one day longer”.

The Socialists maintained that elected representatives have a responsibility to uphold the law and should be held to a high standard because they represent their municipality and its residents.

According to the federation, Hasselin’s continued presence in the municipal executive damages the standing of his office, affects Courcelles’ public image and undermines confidence in public institutions.

The statement made clear that the party considered the conviction incompatible with his continued responsibilities as an alderman. Its demand was directed at Hasselin’s position in the municipal administration rather than being a request for a new criminal sentence.

The call for resignation followed the court’s ruling on charges arising from an incident during the final hours of the Souvret carnival on March 13, 2024. Hasselin’s two sons were also prosecuted in connection with the incident and received community service sentences.

The Socialist federation’s statement placed the conviction at the centre of a wider political dispute involving the local administration and the Mouvement Réformateur (MR), the liberal political party to which Hasselin and Mayor Caroline Taquin belong.

What Sentence Did the Charleroi Criminal Court Impose?

The Charleroi Criminal Court imposed community service sentences on Hasselin and his two sons on Thursday, October 8, according to reporting by Belgian news outlet Télésambre, citing the Belga news agency.

Hasselin received 70 hours of community service. His two sons were sentenced to 60 and 50 hours, respectively.

The court also stipulated prison terms that could apply if the community service sentences were not completed. Hasselin faces a potential seven-month prison term in that circumstance, while his sons face six-month and five-month terms, respectively.

The proceedings concerned allegations of resisting police, intentional assault and battery involving several police officers and another person, as well as insults. The court imposed community service, a measure that the prosecution had requested.

The sentences followed proceedings examining the events of March 13, 2024, when an altercation at a café in Souvret required police intervention.

Hasselin and his sons were prosecuted over violence against officers who attended the scene, as well as alleged violence involving another person connected to the original altercation.

The case attracted political attention because Hasselin holds an elected position in Courcelles. The Socialist federation cited the conviction as the reason he should leave the municipal executive.

The sentence was not reported as an immediate custodial prison term. Rather, the court imposed community service with prison terms specified in the event that the work was not carried out.

What Happened During the Souvret Carnival in March 2024?

The incident that led to the proceedings took place on March 13, 2024, during the final hours of the carnival in Souvret, a district of Courcelles.

According to Belga’s report published by Télésambre, an altercation broke out at a café, prompting police officers to intervene. Hasselin and his two sons were subsequently suspected of committing acts of violence against officers involved in the intervention and against another person connected to the initial confrontation.

The criminal proceedings examined allegations of resisting police, intentional assault and battery, and insults. The case involved several officers and another alleged victim.

During the proceedings, Hasselin acknowledged that he had reacted as a father would, according to the report. He referred to an incident involving his daughter, saying that he had seen her being thrown to the ground by police officers.

That account formed part of the information reported about the proceedings. It did not prevent the court from imposing the community service sentence.

The defence sought acquittal for all three defendants. It argued that confusion surrounding the altercation and discrepancies between witness accounts were relevant to the case.

The prosecution, meanwhile, had requested community service for Hasselin, and the court ultimately imposed that form of sentence.

The published reports establish the principal outcome of the proceedings and the competing positions presented in court. They do not provide a complete transcript of the evidence or the court’s full written reasoning.

The political response emerged after the verdict, with the Socialist federation arguing that the conviction made Hasselin’s continued participation in the municipal executive unacceptable.

How Has Caroline Taquin’s Position Become Part of the Dispute?

Caroline Taquin, the mayor of Courcelles and a member of the Walloon Parliament, is Hasselin’s partner. She is also affiliated with the MR, the same party as the convicted alderman.

The relationship has become a central element of the Socialist federation’s public criticism because the mayor has responsibilities connected to local policing while Hasselin remains part of the municipal executive.

In its statement, the PS argued that Taquin could not simultaneously lead the local police authority and retain her partner in the municipal administration after his conviction for offences involving police officers.

The federation questioned whether maintaining the existing arrangement was compatible with the responsibilities of the mayor’s office.

Its criticism focused on the institutional relationship between the mayor, the police authority and the municipal executive. The party said the conviction raised questions about the continued suitability of Hasselin’s position and the administration’s response to the court’s decision.

The reported relationship between Taquin and Hasselin is a matter of public record in the coverage of the case. However, the Socialist federation’s objections represent the political position of the party and should be distinguished from the court’s criminal ruling.

The available reports do not establish that Taquin has been convicted of an offence in connection with the incident. The court proceedings described in the coverage concerned Hasselin and his two sons.

The Socialists’ demand for Hasselin’s resignation therefore centres on his own conviction and the political responsibilities of the local administration in which he serves.

Why Has the Socialist Party Challenged the MR’s Position on Police Violence?

The Charleroi Socialist federation has also used the case to question the MR’s approach to violence against police officers.

The party argued that the conviction placed the MR in a position where it had to demonstrate whether its stated commitment to firm action against violence involving police applied equally to elected officials within its own ranks.

In its public statement, the federation asked whether the MR’s firmness also applied to its elected representatives. It warned that silence over Hasselin’s case would suggest that the party was applying different standards depending on the political status of the person involved.

The criticism adds a political dimension to the criminal proceedings. While the court determined the sentences for the offences before it, the Socialist federation has used the outcome to demand a change in Hasselin’s public role and to challenge the response of his political party.

The disagreement is taking place at municipal level, involving representatives of competing political parties in the same local administration.

The PS’s statement does not itself determine Hasselin’s eligibility to remain in office. Its demand is a political call for resignation, based on the party’s assessment of the implications of the conviction.

The available reporting does not establish that the MR has announced a formal decision to remove Hasselin from office or that the municipality has confirmed a change in his position.

The distinction between the judicial outcome and the political response is central to understanding the development: the criminal court imposed community service, while the Socialist federation is calling for resignation and demanding a response from the MR.

What Are the Key Facts About the Case?

The principal facts reported by Belga and The Brussels Times establish the sequence of events and the political response.

• Date of incident: March 13, 2024, during the final hours of the Souvret carnival.

• Location: Souvret, a district of Courcelles in Hainaut, Belgium.

• Defendants: Joël Hasselin and his two sons.

• Court: Charleroi Criminal Court.

• Date of sentencing: Thursday, October 8, 2026.

• Community service sentences: 70 hours for Hasselin, 60 hours for one son and 50 hours for the other.

• Potential prison terms for failure to complete community service: Seven months, six months and five months, respectively.

• Political response: The Charleroi Socialist federation called for Hasselin’s immediate resignation on Sunday, October 11.

• Local political connection: Hasselin is the partner of Courcelles Mayor Caroline Taquin, an MR member and Walloon MP.

These details distinguish the criminal proceedings from the subsequent political dispute. The sentences were imposed by the court, while the resignation demand was made by the Socialist federation.

What Is the Background to Courcelles’ Municipal Political Dispute?

Courcelles is a municipality in Hainaut, in Belgium’s Walloon Region. Its local administration includes elected representatives responsible for municipal affairs, while the mayor has responsibilities connected to public order and the local police authority.

Aldermen serve within the municipal executive and have responsibilities associated with local government. Their political positions can therefore become a subject of public scrutiny when criminal proceedings concern their conduct.

In Hasselin’s case, the incident occurred during a carnival event in March 2024, but the criminal proceedings concluded with sentencing in October 2026. The verdict was followed by the Socialist federation’s demand that he leave office.

The dispute also involves the political relationship between the PS and the MR. The Socialist federation has framed its response around the responsibilities of an elected official, the authority of the mayor and the MR’s public position on violence against police officers.

The available reporting establishes the background to the conviction, the sentences imposed and the demands made by the Socialist federation. It does not establish a final decision by Hasselin on whether he will resign, nor does it confirm a subsequent change in the composition of the municipal executive.