SANAA, Yemen (AP) — Yemen’s politicians, youth, women and intellectuals opened a landmark national dialogue Monday on the future of the transition to democracy, and high on the agenda is debate over a dramatic redrawing of the country’s political map to address nearly 20 years of failed unity.

One proposal backed by Yemen’s president in the dialogue is to decentralize rule in the country by dividing it up into six new regions, each with considerable autonomy, under a federal system, high-ranking government official say.