absolute_import

As described in PEP 8 -- Style Guide for Python Code

Implicit relative imports should never be used and have been removed in Python 3.x

And absolute_import was used to Forbidden implicit relative import, Not Forbidden explicit relative import in Python 2.x

Usage

from __future__ import absolute_import

References

[1] PEPS@Python Developer's Guide, PEP 328 -- Imports: Multi-Line and Absolute/Relative