Courtyard outside France's Louvre Museum evacuated for "precautionary measures"

The courtyard outside the Louvre Museum in central Paris was temporarily evacuated on Sunday afternoon due to a "security alert," according to the campaign team of French presidential candidate Emmanuel Macron.

The evacuation was carried out as a precaution, as the venue is where the centrist candidate plans to celebrate on Sunday night if he wins the ongoing runoff vote.

Local media reported that a "suspicious bag" was found near the courtyard which prompted the evacuation.

The Paris police department said on social media that "there are simple verifications carried out as precautionary measures," dismissing any imminent security threat.

Nearly 47 million voters are expected to cast their ballots on Sunday in more than 66,000 polling stations on the French European continent, choosing between pro-Europe, pro-business ex-economy minister Macron, and anti-immigration, anti-EU far-right leader Marine Le Pen. Endit