History of Solidarity resolution condemning the 1981 martial law (despite the "SLD" voting against). Meanwhile, the left-wing "OPZZ" trade union had acquired 2.5 million members, twice as many as the contemporary Solidarity (with 1.3 million). In June 1996, Solidarity Electoral Action ("Akcja Wyborcza Solidarność") was founded as a coalition of over 30 parties, uniting liberal, conservative and Christian-democratic forces. As the public became disillusioned with the "SLD" and its allies, "AWS" was victorious in the 1997 parliamentary elections. Jerzy Buzek became the new prime minister. However, controversies over domestic reforms, Poland's 1999 entry into NATO, and the accession process to the European Union,
Jerzy Buzek ever, becoming the first person from the former Eastern Bloc and the first former Prime Minister since Pierre Pflimlin to gain that position. He succeeded the German Christian Democrat MEP, Hans-Gert Pöttering. He pledged to make human rights and the promotion of the Eastern partnership two of his priorities during his term of office, which will last two and a half years until, due to a political deal, Social Democrat MEP Martin Schulz will take over. In his inaugural address in Strasbourg, Buzek stated that among the greatest challenges faced by the European parliament were the economic crisis, European solidarity,