Impossible to grow federation

[BigByzness]

In my single player game, I have formed a federation with 2 other members- with much of the rest of the galaxy as associated members. Many empires outside of the federation have friendly to cordial relations with me, are close by and with most of them, the two other members of my federation are happy to vote them in.

However, all of them have -1000 'dislike' modifiers with the other members of the federation, which seem impossible to remove. My question is, whether it is possible to somehow improve relations between empires other than ones own, to eventually remove said modifiers. Otherwise, I see no way the federation is going to gain new members.

 

[romothecus]

1. War. Use the Liberation war goal to force the unlikable empire to release planets under the banner of your pickiest federation member. The "Liberated" empire will share their ethos. It might take a few wars but you basically carve up undesirable empires into other empires. Try to do this in a way that avoids border friction.

2. Wait for a galactic threat that generates "Mutual Threat" which can sometimes overcome whatever dislike exists between the two.