28 May, 2017
"Furthermore, the freedom of marriage for two persons of the same sex, once legally recognised, will constitute the collective basis, together with opposite-sex marriage, for a stable society", it said. "Lawmakers must act swiftly to ensure Taiwan becomes the first in Asia to make genuine marriage equality a reality", she said in a statement.
After the ruling, Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen urged the public to treat each other with tolerance and respect.
With the decision, Taiwan's Parliament will now have to amend the nation's laws or pass new ones. Even with liberal pockets growing in China, Korea and Australia, none have yet been able to pass the right to marry for all citizens.
At least 10 of the 14 judges must rule in favour of same-sex marriage in order for it to be legalised, AFP reports. (You can read the entire court document, here). Taiwan's first woman president, Tsai Ing-wen, who took office previous year, expressed her support of same-sex marriage while campaigning, saying "In the face of love, everyone is equal".
LGBTQ advocates in Taiwan have formed an effective lobby in recent years, with an annual Gay Pride march drawing tens of thousands.
Wednesday's review was brought to court by two parties, one of which is Chi Chia-wei, a 59-year-old gay rights activist who first attempted to register a marriage with his male partner in 1986.
The Legislature now has two years either to amend the civil code or to enact laws addressing same-sex couples.
The decision cements Taiwan's role as a trailblazer in the region, where gay rights are often contentious and same-sex sexual activity sometimes outlawed.
The second party is the Taipei city government, which is itself being sued after having to reject marriage applications from same-sex couples under existing laws.
LGBT rights protest in Taiwan in December.
LGBT+ activists are hopeful that the court will rule in their favour as the Taiwan constitution guarantees "equality and freedom of marriage".
Gay marriage advocates, however, insist the matter is about equality.
Taiwanese lawmakers completed the first reading of a same-sex marriage bill in late 2016, but the issue now is being put on the backburner in the current parliamentary session due to pressure from conservative groups.
