Since December 23rd, 1981 the Flemish Community has an autonomous organ: the Flemish Executive. Its first year of activity was characterized by difficulties on four levels. 1. The lack of an own administration seriously hindered its functioning. It had to appeal to «national» civil servants, who were not subject to its higher authority. The setting up of an own Flemish administration occurred laboriously because of delay (it wilt only be operational on June 1st, 1983) and the fact that approximatively one fifth of the jobs is not filled. 2. There were also numerous disagreements with the central authority, due to the not always perfect delimitation between the respective competences and as a result of the urge of that central authority to keep it on tutelage. 3. The central authority granted rather limited pecuniary means to the communities and regions. They seriously impede the conduct of an autonomous Flemish policy. 4. The proportional political composition of the Flemish Executive led to internal tensions; nevertheless it has not caused the apprehended paralyzing effect.