The introduction of two new levels of local government (powiats and voivodeships) gave the 1998 local government elections a different character from those held four years earlier. A consequence of the changes was also the adoption of a new electoral law on 16 July 1998. The parties and political associations belonging to the social-democratic
Democratic Left Alliance (SLD) signed the "Local Government '98" () agreement on 16 June 1998, pledging to field joint candidates for municipal, district and provincial councils. The SLD's main election slogan was ‘Wise, Healthy, Safe’ (). Formed out of the dissidents wings of the
Polish United Workers' Party such as the
national communists and Maoists, Samoobrona established itself as an anti-establishment and a left-wing populist party. Shortly after the 1998 elections, Samoobrona started cooperating with the
Polish Socialist Party of
Piotr Ikonowicz, and both parties considered forming a coalition known as the "Workers' and Peasants' Alliance". Self-Defence also gained support of SLD party ranks, and the party attracted a sizable group of left-wing activists, both at the central and local level. == Voivodeship councils ==