, ▁grass ro ots ▁party ▁members ▁could ▁never ▁hope ▁to ▁win ▁the ▁required ▁end ors ements . ▁ ▁Dro pped ▁out ▁ ▁François ▁Bar oin , ▁mayor ▁of ▁Tro yes , ▁deput y ▁for ▁the ▁A ube ' s ▁ 3 rd ▁constitu ency ▁and ▁former ▁cabinet ▁minister ▁did ▁not , ▁ultimately , ▁run ▁and ▁end ors ed ▁F illon . ▁ ▁X avier ▁Ber tr and , ▁mayor ▁Saint - Qu entin , ▁deput y ▁for ▁the ▁A is ne ' s ▁ 2 nd ▁constitu ency ▁and ▁former ▁cabinet ▁minister ▁announced ▁that ▁he ▁was ▁dro pping ▁out ▁on f ▁ 1 6 ▁September ▁although ▁he ▁claimed ▁ 8 2 0 0 ▁end ors ements . ▁He ▁claimed ▁he ▁was ▁dro pping ▁out ▁to ▁run ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 6 ▁prim aries ▁which ▁will ▁nomin ate ▁the ▁party ' s ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 7 ▁president ial ▁election . ▁ ▁Domin ique ▁D ord , ▁mayor ▁of ▁A ix - les - B ains , ▁deput y ▁for ▁the ▁Sav o ie ' s ▁ 1 st ▁constitu ency ▁and ▁tre as urer ▁of ▁the ▁U MP ▁announced ▁his ▁candid acy ▁in ▁July ▁ 2 0 1 2 ▁but ▁dropped ▁out ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁lack ing ▁end ors ements . ▁ ▁Christian ▁Est ro si , ▁mayor ▁of ▁Nice , ▁deput y ▁for ▁the ▁Al pes - Mar it imes ' ▁ 5 th ▁constitu ency ▁and ▁formed ▁cabinet