regex_separating_lookbehind.R

dat <- readr::read_csv("municipality\n- Ticino\n>> Distretto di Bellinzona\n......5001 Arbedo-Castione\n......5002 Bellinzona\n......5003 Cadenazzo\n......5004 Camorino\n")

dat %>% mutate(municipality = gsub(pattern = '[\\.\\>]|^-', 
                                   replacement = "", 
                                   municipality)) %>%
        separate(col = municipality, 
                 sep = '(?<=[0-9])\\s', 
                 into = c ("code","municipality"), 
                 fill = "left")