diff --git a/Lib/re/__init__.py b/Lib/re/__init__.py
index c47a2650e32f5f..b887722bbb2cdf 100644
--- a/Lib/re/__init__.py
+++ b/Lib/re/__init__.py
@@ -124,10 +124,6 @@
 import enum
 from . import _compiler, _parser
 import functools
-try:
-    import _locale
-except ImportError:
-    _locale = None
 
 
 # public symbols