Irmgard Griss has from 2008 been deputy judge at the Constitutional Court of Austria, nominated by the National Council.

Griss announced her intention to run as an independent candidate for the Austrian presidential election, 2016 on December 17, 2015.

She was then invited on two occasions to present her candidacy in form of hearings to the Freedom Party of Austria and to the NEOS.

[5] NEOS said they would support Griss and any other independent candidates indirectly, and voiced their concerns over the strong partisan politicization of the presidential office and the election campaign.

[6] NEOS leader Matthias Strolz stated on February 9, 2016 that NEOS might also support Alexander Van der Bellen, the ex-former spokesman of the Austrian Green Party, voicing his preference for a run-off election between Griss and Van der Bellen.