# 1997 Polish parliamentary election

Parliamentary elections were held in Poland on 21 September 1997. All 460 members of the Sejm and 100 senators of the Senate were elected. The liberal conservative party Solidarity Electoral Action won the most seats in both chambers of parliament and formed a coalition government with the Freedom Union, another liberal party. The elections were a major setback for the Democratic Left Alliance and the Polish People's Party, which were forced out of government.

## Results
### Sejm

| | Solidarity Electoral Action | 4,427,373 | 33.83 | 201 | New |
| | Democratic Left Alliance | 3,551,224 | 27.13 | 164 | –7 |
| | Freedom Union | 1,749,518 | 13.37 | 60 | –14 |
| | Polish People's Party | 956,184 | 7.31 | 27 | –105 |
| | Movement for Reconstruction of Poland | 727,072 | 5.56 | 6 | New |
| | Labour Union | 620,611 | 4.74 | 0 | –41 |
| | National Party of Retirees and Pensioners | 284,826 | 2.18 | 0 | New |
| | Real Politics Union | 266,317 | 2.03 | 0 | 0 |
| | National Alliance of Retirees and Pensioners [pl] | 212,826 | 1.63 | 0 | New |
| | National Christian Bloc for Poland [pl] | 178,395 | 1.36 | 0 | New |
| | German Minority Electoral Committee | 51,027 | 0.39 | 2 | –2 |
| | Germans of Katowice Province | 16,724 | 0.13 | 0 | – |
| | Słowiańska MN RP-Prawosławni | 13,632 | 0.10 | 0 | – |
| | Self-Defence of the Republic of Poland | 10,073 | 0.08 | 0 | 0 |
| | Polska Wspólnota Narodowa [pl] | 8,590 | 0.07 | 0 | – |
| | Germans of the Częstochowa Province | 6,206 | 0.05 | 0 | – |
| | MN "Pojednanie i Przyszlość" | 3,663 | 0.03 | 0 | – |
| | MN Województwa Olsztyńskiego | 1,729 | 0.01 | 0 | – |
| | Niezależna i bezpartyjna | 924 | 0.01 | 0 | – |
| | Sojusz Ludzi "Polska Praca Sprawiedliwość" | 703 | 0.01 | 0 | – |
| | Stow. MN Województwa Elbląskiego | 614 | 0.00 | 0 | – |
| Total | Total | 13,088,231 | 100.00 | 460 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 13,088,231 | 96.12 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 528,147 | 3.88 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 13,616,378 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 28,409,054 | 47.93 | | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

#### By constituency

| Constituency | Turnout | AWS | AWS | SLD | SLD | UW | UW | PSL | PSL | ROP | ROP | MN | MN | UP | Others | Lead |
| Constituency | Turnout | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Seats | % | Others | Lead |
| 1 – Warsaw I | 60.86 | 31.88 | 6 | 25.90 | 5 | 21.73 | 4 | 0.94 | 0 | 9.16 | 2 | - | - | 4.98 | 5.41 | 5.98 |
| 2 – Warsaw II | 49.14 | 40.15 | 4 | 19.00 | 2 | 15.30 | 1 | 5.76 | 0 | 8.30 | 1 | - | - | 4.48 | 7.01 | 21.15 |
| 3 – Biała Podlaska | 46.72 | 35.39 | 1 | 19.84 | 1 | 5.86 | 0 | 18.17 | 1 | 6.88 | 0 | - | - | 4.08 | 9.78 | 15.55 |
| 4 – Białystok | 52.12 | 44.29 | 5 | 24.89 | 2 | 7.16 | 0 | 3.48 | 0 | 5.64 | 0 | - | - | 4.42 | 10.12 | 19.40 |
| 5 – Bielsko-Biała | 56.15 | 43.01 | 5 | 21.06 | 2 | 15.59 | 2 | 4.83 | 0 | 4.80 | 0 | - | - | 3.82 | 6.89 | 21.95 |
| 6 – Bydgoszcz | 48.16 | 27.62 | 4 | 36.99 | 5 | 11.50 | 1 | 6.42 | 1 | 4.46 | 0 | - | - | 4.36 | 8.65 | 9.37 |
| 7 – Chełm | 39.26 | 23.89 | 1 | 28.66 | 2 | 7.91 | 0 | 12.83 | 0 | 8.96 | 0 | - | - | 4.58 | 13.17 | 4.77 |
| 8 – Ciechanów | 38.40 | 28.73 | 1 | 29.69 | 2 | 6.86 | 0 | 14.49 | 1 | 6.55 | 0 | - | - | 5.67 | 8.01 | 0.96 |
| 9 – Częstochowa | 45.01 | 30.60 | 3 | 31.36 | 4 | 9.84 | 1 | 6.48 | 0 | 4.82 | 0 | - | - | 5.37 | 11.53 | 0.76 |
| 10 – Elbląg | 40.97 | 26.26 | 2 | 33.92 | 2 | 12.70 | 1 | 6.42 | 0 | 5.97 | 0 | - | - | 6.15 | 8.58 | 7.66 |
| 11 – Gdańsk | 55.01 | 50.10 | 9 | 20.20 | 4 | 13.45 | 2 | 2.08 | 0 | 4.85 | 0 | - | - | 3.00 | 6.32 | 29.90 |
| 12 – Gorzów Wielkopolski | 42.88 | 25.68 | 2 | 35.23 | 2 | 14.14 | 1 | 8.65 | 0 | 3.07 | 0 | - | - | 6.89 | 6.34 | 9.55 |
| 13 – Jelenia Góra | 44.86 | 27.58 | 2 | 35.70 | 2 | 12.39 | 1 | 3.47 | 0 | 3.87 | 0 | - | - | 9.31 | 7.68 | 8.12 |
| 14 – Kalisz | 48.76 | 26.12 | 2 | 32.56 | 3 | 11.62 | 1 | 12.26 | 1 | 4.48 | 0 | - | - | 6.44 | 6.52 | 6.44 |
| 15 – Sosnowiec | 48.80 | 22.51 | 3 | 44.67 | 6 | 12.23 | 1 | 2.96 | 0 | 3.62 | 0 | - | - | 6.58 | 7.43 | 22.16 |
| 16 – Katowice | 44.53 | 31.99 | 7 | 26.92 | 5 | 22.52 | 4 | 3.11 | 0 | 3.26 | 0 | - | - | 4.39 | 7.81 | 5.07 |
| 17 – Gliwice | 45.63 | 34.77 | 6 | 23.10 | 4 | 17.30 | 3 | 2.65 | 0 | 5.04 | 1 | - | - | 4.41 | 11.73 | 10.67 |
| 18 – Kielce | 41.79 | 24.61 | 4 | 31.81 | 5 | 10.41 | 1 | 14.72 | 2 | 5.31 | 0 | - | - | 5.95 | 7.19 | 7.20 |
| 19 – Konin | 48.76 | 27.66 | 2 | 30.56 | 2 | 9.63 | 0 | 12.51 | 1 | 5.03 | 0 | - | - | 6.14 | 8.47 | 2.90 |
| 20 – Koszalin | 41.70 | 22.22 | 1 | 36.11 | 3 | 14.22 | 1 | 4.35 | 0 | 4.33 | 0 | - | - | 4.92 | 13.85 | 13.89 |
| 21 – Kraków | 53.48 | 40.76 | 7 | 17.64 | 3 | 20.60 | 3 | 4.23 | 0 | 4.84 | 0 | - | - | 3.13 | 8.80 | 20.16 |
| 22 – Krosno | 52.79 | 47.20 | 4 | 15.58 | 1 | 7.60 | 0 | 7.03 | 0 | 10.02 | 0 | - | - | 3.69 | 8.88 | 31.62 |
| 23 – Legnica | 44.35 | 32.49 | 2 | 34.88 | 3 | 10.75 | 0 | 4.80 | 0 | 3.93 | 0 | - | - | 5.47 | 7.68 | 2.39 |
| 24 – Leszno | 47.98 | 25.77 | 2 | 33.89 | 2 | 12.67 | 0 | 11.47 | 0 | 2.84 | 0 | - | - | 5.19 | 8.17 | 8.12 |
| 25 – Lublin | 47.06 | 35.41 | 4 | 23.19 | 3 | 9.14 | 1 | 11.64 | 1 | 8.82 | 1 | - | - | 5.31 | 6.49 | 12.22 |
| 26 – Łomża | 46.41 | 47.13 | 3 | 13.96 | 1 | 5.47 | 0 | 11.43 | 0 | 11.02 | 0 | - | - | 4.26 | 6.73 | 33.17 |
| 27 – Łódź | 50.11 | 28.84 | 4 | 37.07 | 5 | 14.83 | 2 | 1.80 | 0 | 6.44 | 0 | - | - | 4.28 | 6.74 | 8.23 |
| 28 – Nowy Sącz | 56.57 | 56.03 | 5 | 10.51 | 1 | 9.91 | 1 | 7.17 | 0 | 3.48 | 0 | - | - | 2.23 | 10.67 | 45.52 |
| 29 – Olsztyn | 42.49 | 25.86 | 3 | 33.40 | 4 | 15.16 | 1 | 5.68 | 0 | 5.61 | 0 | - | - | 5.74 | 8.55 | 7.54 |
| 30 – Opole | 42.19 | 25.50 | 3 | 22.26 | 3 | 13.83 | 2 | 4.92 | 0 | 4.80 | 0 | 16.96 | 2 | 4.97 | 6.76 | 3.24 |
| 31 – Ostrołęka | 42.23 | 35.45 | 2 | 18.04 | 1 | 8.23 | 0 | 15.97 | 1 | 9.23 | 0 | - | - | 4.05 | 9.03 | 17.41 |
| 32 – Piła | 49.81 | 22.80 | 1 | 40.08 | 3 | 12.59 | 1 | 7.43 | 0 | 4.59 | 0 | - | - | 3.72 | 8.79 | 17.28 |
| 33 – Piotrków Trybunalski | 42.59 | 28.99 | 3 | 26.84 | 2 | 9.21 | 1 | 14.11 | 1 | 7.73 | 0 | - | - | 4.57 | 8.55 | 2.15 |
| 34 – Płock | 41.29 | 23.15 | 2 | 30.79 | 2 | 8.38 | 0 | 21.26 | 1 | 4.82 | 0 | - | - | 3.73 | 7.87 | 7.64 |
| 35 – Poznań | 53.26 | 26.95 | 5 | 31.35 | 6 | 18.31 | 3 | 4.71 | 0 | 3.23 | 0 | - | - | 6.80 | 8.65 | 4.4 |
| 36 – Przemyśl | 52.15 | 43.78 | 3 | 15.44 | 1 | 7.85 | 0 | 13.64 | 0 | 5.13 | 0 | - | - | 2.70 | 11.46 | 28.34 |
| 37 – Radom | 43.56 | 32.50 | 3 | 22.05 | 2 | 10.09 | 1 | 14.35 | 1 | 8.41 | 1 | - | - | 4.18 | 8.42 | 10.45 |
| 38 – Rzeszów | 59.81 | 57.81 | 6 | 13.58 | 1 | 6.10 | 0 | 9.14 | 1 | 5.48 | 0 | - | - | 2.56 | 5.33 | 44.23 |
| 39 – Siedlce | 40.40 | 34.73 | 3 | 20.80 | 2 | 6.02 | 0 | 20.59 | 2 | 6.69 | 0 | - | - | 3.65 | 7.52 | 13.93 |
| 40 – Sieradz | 42.35 | 24.96 | 1 | 29.36 | 2 | 8.81 | 0 | 16.74 | 1 | 5.79 | 0 | - | - | 6.84 | 7.50 | 4.4 |
| 41 – Skierniewice | 41.78 | 25.49 | 2 | 24.51 | 1 | 9.65 | 0 | 19.58 | 1 | 6.60 | 0 | - | - | 3.80 | 10.37 | 0.98 |
| 42 – Słupsk | 42.46 | 25.97 | 2 | 35.05 | 2 | 12.83 | 0 | 7.22 | 0 | 3.94 | 0 | - | - | 5.69 | 9.30 | 9.08 |
| 43 – Suwałki | 40.80 | 33.34 | 3 | 27.04 | 2 | 10.57 | 0 | 8.99 | 0 | 5.38 | 0 | - | - | 6.05 | 8.63 | 6.30 |
| 44 – Szczecin | 45.16 | 28.24 | 4 | 34.87 | 4 | 17.28 | 2 | 3.09 | 0 | 3.55 | 0 | - | - | 5.07 | 7.90 | 6.63 |
| 45 – Tarnobrzeg | 46.44 | 39.29 | 3 | 23.73 | 2 | 7.11 | 0 | 11.60 | 1 | 8.00 | 0 | - | - | 2.80 | 7.47 | 15.56 |
| 46 – Tarnów | 53.68 | 51.48 | 5 | 12.20 | 1 | 9.19 | 0 | 11.91 | 1 | 4.88 | 0 | - | - | 3.47 | 6.87 | 39.28 |
| 47 – Toruń | 43.91 | 28.41 | 3 | 32.71 | 3 | 14.09 | 1 | 7.16 | 0 | 4.49 | 0 | - | - | 5.28 | 7.86 | 4.3 |
| 48 – Wałbrzych | 45.31 | 27.69 | 3 | 38.36 | 4 | 11.65 | 1 | 3.86 | 0 | 3.98 | 0 | - | - | 6.68 | 7.78 | 10.67 |
| 49 – Włocławek | 40.41 | 25.16 | 1 | 38.35 | 3 | 7.42 | 0 | 10.83 | 0 | 5.87 | 0 | - | - | 6.19 | 6.18 | 13.19 |
| 50 – Wrocław | 60.86 | 33.02 | 5 | 25.96 | 4 | 20.65 | 3 | 4.04 | 0 | 5.08 | 0 | - | - | 4.57 | 6.68 | 7.06 |
| 51 – Zamość | 46.05 | 33.43 | 2 | 18.95 | 1 | 5.26 | 0 | 24.58 | 2 | 8.45 | 0 | - | - | 3.35 | 5.98 | 8.85 |
| 52 – Zielona Góra | 44.90 | 28.59 | 3 | 37.37 | 3 | 11.70 | 1 | 6.87 | 0 | 3.20 | 0 | - | - | 5.73 | 6.54 | 8.78 |
| National list | - | - | 29 | - | 23 | - | 11 | - | 6 | - | | - | - | - | - | - |
| Poland | 47.93 | 33.83 | 201 | 27.13 | 164 | 13.37 | 60 | 7.31 | 27 | 5.56 | 6 | 0.39 | 2 | 4.74 | 7.67 | 6.70 |
* Results of the Sejm election, showing vote strength by electoral district.
* Results of the Sejm election, showing vote strength by powiats (in 1999 borders).

### Senate

| | Solidarity Electoral Action | 6,550,176 | 25.25 | 51 | New |
| | Democratic Left Alliance | 6,091,721 | 23.48 | 28 | –9 |
| | Freedom Union | 2,943,527 | 11.35 | 8 | +4 |
| | Movement for Reconstruction of Poland | 2,553,252 | 9.84 | 5 | New |
| | Polish People's Party | 1,819,176 | 7.01 | 3 | –33 |
| | National Party of Retirees and Pensioners | 1,112,129 | 4.29 | 0 | New |
| | Real Politics Union | 550,254 | 2.12 | 0 | 0 |
| | Labour Union | 520,130 | 2.00 | 0 | 0 |
| | Local lists and independents | 3,804,084 | 14.66 | 5 | –5 |
| Total | Total | 25,944,449 | 100.00 | 100 | 0 |
| Valid votes | Valid votes | 13,317,952 | 98.02 | | |
| Invalid/blank votes | Invalid/blank votes | 269,149 | 1.98 | | |
| Total votes | Total votes | 13,587,101 | 100.00 | | |
| Registered voters/turnout | Registered voters/turnout | 28,409,054 | 47.83 | | |
| Source: Nohlen & Stöver ||||||

#### By voivodeship

| Voivodeship | Total seats | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won | Seats won |
| Voivodeship | Total seats | AWS | SLD | UW | ROP | PSL | Others |
| Biała Podlaska | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Białystok | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Bielsko | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| Bydgoszcz | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Chełm | 2 | 1 | | | | 1 | |
| Ciechanów | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Częstochowa | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Elbląg | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Gdańsk | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| Gorzów | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Jelenia Góra | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Kalisz | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Katowice | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | | | |
| Kielce | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Konin | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Koszalin | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Kraków | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| Krosno | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Legnica | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Leszno | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Lublin | 2 | 1 | | | 1 | | |
| Łomża | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Łódź | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Nowy Sącz | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Olsztyn | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Opole | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| Ostrołęka | 2 | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| Piła | 2 | | 1 | | | | 1 |
| Piotrków | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Płock | 2 | | 1 | | | 1 | |
| Poznań | 2 | | | 1 | | 1 | |
| Przemyśl | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Radom | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Rzeszów | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Siedlce | 2 | 1 | | | 1 | | |
| Sieradz | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Skierniewice | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Słupsk | 2 | 1 | | 1 | | | |
| Suwałki | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Szczecin | 2 | 1 | | | | | 1 |
| Tarnobrzeg | 2 | 2 | | | | | |
| Tarnów | 2 | 1 | | | 1 | | |
| Toruń | 2 | 1 | 1 | | | | |
| Wałbrzych | 2 | | 2 | | | | |
| Warsaw | 3 | 1 | | 1 | 1 | | |
| Włocławek | 2 | | 2 | | | | |
| Wrocław | 2 | | | | | | 2 |
| Zamość | 2 | 1 | | | 1 | | |
| Zielona Góra | 2 | | 2 | | | | |
| Total | 100 | 51 | 28 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 5 |
| Source: National Electoral Commission ||||||||