These regional elections were the first ones that were held with the new electoral law called "Tatarellum" (from the name of its rapporteur, Giuseppe Tatarella).

A new electoral law for ordinary Regions of Italy was adopted in 1995, replacing the 1970 original one, in aim to abolish PR and its political instability.

If 80% of the seats continued to be chosen with the old PR through provincial lists, the 20% was assigned at large though block voting to the best regional coalition of parties.

Direct presidential elections were postponed to 2000 needing a reform of the Constitution of Italy, but in the North the leaders were de facto elected presidents for five years, while in the South political instability continued as usual.

The remaining of the PPI joined the new centre-left coalition, The Olive Tree, which was consequently abandoned by the Communist Refoundation Party for protest.