Parliamentary elections were held in Chad on 5 January 1997, with a second round on 23 February.

[1] They were the first multi-party elections since independence in 1960 and resulted in a victory for the ruling Patriotic Salvation Movement (MPS), which won 65 of the 125 seats in the National Assembly.

In constituencies where no candidate received a majority, a second round was held.

A total of 30 parties contested the elections, putting forward 656 candidates.

A government was formed with Nassour Guelendouksia Ouaido as Prime Minister on 21 May.