The development team doesn't have the power to decide the future direction. If they release a highly controversial change, no one is obligated to use their code

The development team doesn't have the power to decide the future direction. If they release a highly controversial change, no one is obligated to use their code. They could continue using an old version, or switch to an alternative node implementation led by different developers. Every change to the network is a complex dance between the power of the developers, the miners, the exchanges and services, and the actual coin holders. If any significant segment of these forces don't agree with the direction, then the default is to change nothing and maintain the status quo. This is what makes it neutral. No major changes to the network can happen without supermajority support among all players, otherwise you risk severely fracturing the network, which is bad for everyone.