I would support a more organic approach to Faction pledging not controlled by a Player, who is subject to human pressure of life, that can result in power vacuums, and power struggles.
As others have said suggested Allied or a high yet tier, limited to one Faction, that anyone can earn in game by their actions support a faction.
After all why should it fall to a player to hose who can get their Faction Emblem, if Cmdr Blogs who plays in solo, picks a faction they likes the name of, and adopts without ever knowing or contacting the Player group connected to that faction who wish to gate access to it.
I'd be quite chuffed if there were people who chose to support my faction not because they had met us, but because the faction Name, Super power (or independence), Government, and Blurb in the home system on the system map.
Well it would be kinda hard for them not to know its a player faction unless they just dont pay attention to the forums cause all player factions are required to have a description if its one they had put in game at least.