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,
Prime Minister of Poland series of reform laws passed through parliament, strengthening and centralizing the prime minister's prerogatives. These reforms would form the basis of the current 1997 Constitution. Significant changes included the ability for the prime minister to call a vote of confidence, the premier's exclusive right to allocate and reshuffle ministers, and also for the prime minister to solely determine the areas of competence for ministries. Many of the prime minister's new powers were gained at the expense of the presidency, which lost the rights to consult ministerial appointments, reject the prime minister's cabinet selection or reshuffles, chair the cabinet, and to