Nazem al-Qudsi at the time was a new member in the National Bloc, the leading anti-French movement in Syria. He resigned in 1939 and went on to establish the People's Party in 1947, aimed at unity between Syria and Iraq. In 1949-1951, he served as Prime Minister, and in 1955-1956, as Speaker of Parliament. In 1961-1963, he was the last democratically elected president before the Baath Party took power on March 8, 1963