The Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE) recovered after its 1995 result and increased its absolute majority in the regional Cortes.

The People's Party (PP), on the other hand, saw its share decrease 4 points to 40% and lost 1 seat from the previous election, not being able to maintain a part of its 1995 vote that it had received as a punishment to Felipe González's Socialist government.

[1] Voting for the Cortes was on the basis of universal suffrage, which comprised all nationals over 18 years of age, registered in Castilla–La Mancha and in full enjoyment of their political rights.

The 47 members of the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha were elected using the D'Hondt method and a closed list proportional representation, with an electoral threshold of three percent of valid votes—which included blank ballots—being applied in each constituency.

Each constituency was allocated a fixed number of seats: 10 for Albacete, 11 for Ciudad Real, 8 for Cuenca, 7 for Guadalajara and 11 for Toledo.

[1][3][4][5] After legal amendments in 1997, the President of the Junta of Communities was granted the prerogative to dissolve the Cortes of Castilla–La Mancha and call a snap election, provided that no motion of no confidence was in process, no nationwide election was due and some time requirements were met: namely, that dissolution did not occur either during the first legislative session or within the legislature's last year ahead of its scheduled expiry, nor before one year had elapsed since a previous dissolution.