The first problems for the new government came after the presidential election in February 2000 when the governing candidate Dražen Budiša lost to Stjepan Mesić. The problem was not in the election of Stjepan Mesić but in the defeat of Budiša. Budiša, although a president of the Social-Liberal party, was a self-declared conservative and nationalist with a pragmatic approach in order to reach power. His main goal was to become president of Croatia, and after losing it, he became frustrated and started obstructing his own government.