Crisis Act

The Crisis Act is an Autobot safeguard against crappy leadership from the Generation 1 continuity family.

One thing that separates Autobots from Decepticons is that Autobots are loyal to their leaders out of well-earned respect rather than out of fear. Whether the Prime or another type of Autobot leader, they all get their power from the trust their soldiers have in them... and that's a source not infinite. Sometimes, a leader neglects their role in the Autobot hierarchy. Sometimes, a leader makes mistakes that leave doubt about their continued suitability. In any such case, Autobots far lower in rank still are authorized to invoke the Crisis Act — a regulation by which the leader figure gets relieved from command if the majority of the troops give it their support.

Fiction

Marvel Comics continuity

In an attempt to bring back Ratchet, Optimus Prime and Nightbeat succeeded insofar that they obtained a mentally unstable, violent, destructive Megatron-Ratchet hybrid from unspace. Kup, the Ark Security Officer, initially wanted to kill it, but Optimus Prime forbade it, stating the creature was still part Ratchet. Within very little time, the hybrid had rampaged through the Ark, beaten up some of its crew and locked itself in the main engine room to tear things apart at its leisure. Kup was furious and reminded Optimus Prime that already most of the Autobots were unhappy with his decision to surrender to Scorponok, so if he wasn't going to put an end to this threat personally, the Crisis Act would be invoked. The Pri¢e of Life!