Previous research illustrated that the laws regulating involuntaryplacement and treatment of persons with mental health problems arevery diverse across countries. International studies comparingsatisfaction levels between countries are rare. We compared the opinionsof professionals and family members about the operation of the nationalmental health law regulating forcibly admission and treatment ofpsychiatric patients in eleven countries: Ireland, Iceland, England &Wales, Romania, Slovenia, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, Norway andIndia. An online survey design was adopted using a Mental HealthLegislation Attitude Scale (MHLAS). This brief 9-item questionnaire wasdistributed via e-mail to psychiatrists, general practitioners, acute andcommunity mental health nurses, tribunal members, police officers and family members in each collaborating country. The levels ofagreement/disagreement were measured on a Likert- scale. Data wereanalysed both per question and with regard to a total MHLAS ‘approval’score computed as a sum of the 9 questions. We found that respondentsin England & Wales and Denmark expressing strongest approval for theirnational legislation (76 and 74% respectively), with those in India andIreland expressing the least approval (65 and 64% respectively). Almostall countries had a more positive attitude in comparison with Ireland onthe admission criteria for involuntary placement and the way people aretransferred to psychiatric hospitals. There are significant variationsacross Europe and beyond in terms of approval for how the nationalmental health law framework operates in each country.