test.py

$ cat re.py
print('local re being imported')

$ python2.6 -c 'import re'
local re being imported
$ python2.6 -c 'from __future__ import absolute_import;import re'
local re being imported
$ python2.6 -c 'from re import *'
local re being imported
$ python2.6 -c 'from .re import *'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
ValueError: Attempted relative import in non-package


$ python2.7 -c 'import re'
$ python2.7 -c 'from __future__ import absolute_import;import re'
$ python2.7 -c 'from re import *'
$ python2.7 -c 'from .re import *'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
ValueError: Attempted relative import in non-package


$ python3 -c 'import re'
local re being imported
$ python3 -c 'from __future__ import absolute_import;import re'
local re being imported
$ python3 -c 'from re import *'
local re being imported
$ python3 -c 'from .re import *'
local re being imported
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
SystemError: Parent module '' not loaded, cannot perform relative import
Error in sys.excepthook:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 53, in apport_excepthook
    if not enabled():
  File "/usr/lib/python3/dist-packages/apport_python_hook.py", line 28, in enabled
    return re.search('^\s*enabled\s*=\s*0\s*$', conf, re.M) is None
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'search'

Original exception was:
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "<string>", line 1, in <module>
SystemError: Parent module '' not loaded, cannot perform relative import